


home is where you are

by potstickersss



Category: The Wilds (TV 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Fatin Jadmani & Dot Campbell Brotp, Fluff and Humor, Leah Rilke & Toni Shalifoe Brotp, Protective Fatin Jadmani, california au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:19:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 28
Words: 97,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29101647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/potstickersss/pseuds/potstickersss
Summary: Leah has been kicked out of her house by her parents after her affair with Jeff comes to light. Wandering the streets at midnight, she comes across Fatin, who Leah has never interacted with outside of school.OROn her way to a party, Fatin decides to skip it when she runs into a stricken Leah, the person she has been crushing on from afar for a long while now. She takes Leah back to her house, and much to her surprise, her mother, is more than welcoming. The Jadmani family takes in Leah, and with their help, she learns how to love herself and maybe comes to understand Fatin is not all put together as she appears.
Relationships: Dot Campbell & Fatin Jadmani, Dot Campbell/Other(s), Fatin Jadmani & Leah Rilke, Fatin Jadmani/Leah Rilke, Leah Rilke & Toni Shalifoe, Martha Blackburn/Rachel Reid, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Past Leah Rilke/ Jeffrey Galanis, Shelby Goodkind/Toni Shalifoe
Comments: 135
Kudos: 457





	1. run-in

Leah flinches when her father slams the door in her face, and then again when she hears the click of the deadbolt lock. The sound is like a kick to the gut. With a lump in her throat, Leah bends down to grab the few bags she managed to fill before her mother all but dragged her to the door.

Taking a deep breath, she turns and heads down the driveway taking a left when she reaches the sidewalk. She wanders, having nowhere to go. She has no car, no money, no friends. Her closest family member lives an hour away, and her uncle is not someone she would go to when in crisis. He is too drunk most of the time to even remember his name let alone Leah’s. 

She would call Ian, but he has also shunned her and is avoiding her at school. Leah is pretty sure he has blocked her number at this point. She wouldn’t blame him if he had. What she has done is terrible.

A car horn honking startles Leah out of her thoughts, and she blinks when she recognizes the street she has reached. Somehow she has walked downtown without realizing it. She must have been lost in thought for a while. It takes twenty minutes to get to the town from her house when walking.

Leah stands frozen on the sidewalk as she watches people bustle about, excited shouts and drunk laughter echoing from the teens and young adults out enjoying their Friday night. When Leah looks at her watch, she finds it is five minutes past midnight.

Maybe she should find a shelter for the night. They would be open twenty-four hours, right? Leah pulls her phone out with a frown and begins to google teen and women’s shelters in the area. Immediately three pop up within walking distance, all open twenty-four-seven. Leah’s shoulders droop in relief, and her eyes sting with another wave of tears. At least she won’t have to sleep on a park bench tonight. 

Leah hikes her bags higher onto her shoulders with renewed vigour and uses her maps to direct her to the closest shelter. As she rounds a corner a few minutes later, Leah only narrowly avoids colliding with someone head-on. Their shoulder still catches her chest though as she dodges and one of her bags slips off her shoulder, falling to the ground with a thud.

“Awesome,” Leah mutters as she bends to pick up the bag that houses her laptop, hoping that it’s not cracked. 

“Shit, I’m sorry, I was looking at my phone and-” The person begins to say only to stop abruptly, and when Leah straightens, she comes face to face with a surprised Fatin Jadmani. “Rilke?” Fatin asks, her brow furrowing, and Leah chews on the inside of her cheek, suddenly uncomfortable with the intense way Fatin is staring at her.

“That’s me. And don’t worry about it, no harm done. Um, enjoy your night,” Leah says quickly, sending Fatin a tight smile before looking down at her phone to check how far the shelter is and finds she is only five minutes away. 

“Hey, wait,” Fatin says, as Leah turns to continue walking, and when she turns back, Fatin is looking at her bags with a suspicious look. “Is everything alright? I mean, I know it’s none of my business, but-”

“You’re right, it’s not,” Leah says flatly, gripping the strap of her backpack tight as Fatin’s probing stare reaches her face and Fatin’s expression softens somewhat, surprising Leah. 

With a slow step, Fatin moves closer. “Leah,” Fatin whispers, and Leah swallows roughly. “Did something happen? What is with the bags? It’s midnight. If you have a long-ass sleepover with someone, cool, I’ll back off, but this doesn’t seem like a normal Friday night thing. Are you in trouble?”

Leah stares at Fatin for a long minute, debating if she should confide in her or just leave and head to the shelter, but her eyes betray her when for the third time that night, they well with unshed tears. Fatin’s eyes widen, and she is quick to reach out to cup Leah’s elbow.

“Um,” Leah says, clearing her throat as she looks at her feet to regain her composure. “My parents kicked me out.” The words are barely a whisper, and a strangled laugh escapes her as she tries to avoid Fatin’s horrified gaze.

“What the fuck?” Fatin hisses, her grip on Leah’s arm tightening slightly, and Leah blinks away her tears quickly, attempting to send Fatin a smile to convince her she is okay. 

“So yeah, I’m on my way to a shelter. I don’t have anywhere else to go. I don’t have money or a car and no other family close, so I figured this was my best bet,” Leah says, beginning to ramble, and Fatin’s expression darkens.

“Fuck that. You are coming home with me. No arguments. I’m not letting you fucking live in a shelter. Hell no. Come on. I’ll call my mom, and she will come to pick us up.”

“Fatin no, that’s not-” Leah tries to object, but Fatin is glaring at her as she brings her phone up to her ear, already having dialled her mother.

“What did I just say about no arguing Rilke? Are you really going to choose a shelter over my very cozy mansion?” Fatin interjects, and Leah grimaces.

“Fatin, I won’t be able to pay you back. I don’t have anything to offer. I don’t want to be a burden.”

Fatin pauses, and Leah can hear her mother answering on the other end, but Fatin doesn’t reply right away. “Leah, you are not a burden. I offered, okay? There is no need to pay me back. Just let me help you, please. However, you can like do the dishes or something if you are that desperate to pay me back. I hate dish duty.”

Laughter bubbles up in Leah’s chest, and before she can stop it, a small giggle escapes, and Fatin grins before returning her attention to her phone call.

“Sorry, Mama. Yes, I’m okay. But um, I bumped into a friend who needs a place to stay for a while. Is it okay if she lives with us? I know this is last minute, and I should have asked before offering, but-” Fatin stops abruptly, and Leah watches, chewing on her bottom lip anxiously as she waits and then Fatin is nodding.

“Okay. Thank you. We are outside of the Italian restaurant on Main. Would you be able to pick us up?” Fatin asks, and then she is grinning a little. “You’re the best, Mama. See you in a few.”

She hangs up and sends Leah a smug smirk. “It’s a done deal, Rilke; you are officially living with me for the foreseeable future.”

Leah sends her a small smile and reaches out to take Fatin’s hand, squeezing gently. “Thank you. I appreciate you being so nice. And I will do the dishes for you, I promise.”

Fatin snorts and tugs Leah towards the bench that rests against the restaurant’s stone wall so they can sit and wait for her mother. “Awesome. Just a heads up, my little brothers are annoying as fuck, and my mom may be a little overbearing because she always gets that way when we have guests. And my dad is not in the picture anymore. So don’t ask about him when in front of my mom. She gets all pissy.”

Leah raises her brows in surprise but nods. “Got it.”

Fatin squeezes her hand once before releasing it, and then they fall into a comfortable silence as they wait. 

As Leah thinks over the past twenty-four hours, she can’t help but think this is some fucked up dream. Her parents kicked her out, Jeff broke up with her, Ian abandoned her, and Leah is now living with Fatin. And it is something Leah never imagined herself feeling, but she has never been so relieved to have run into Fatin Jadmani tonight. 

She has only interacted with her once before a couple of years ago, but she has heard many things about her over the years. Mostly that Fatin was more than a little promiscuous and a party girl, which by the way she is dressed in a tight short skirt and revealing sequence tank top that is where she was heading before running into Leah. Which immediately reminds her that Fatin is a popular kid while she is generally invisible at their school. Out of all people, she never would have imagined Fatin to be the one to rescue her. But here she is blowing off a party and welcoming Leah into her home like it’s nothing. Not even Ian, who Leah has known since she was six, cared about her anymore. He ditched her as soon as he learned that her feelings towards him were nothing but platonic and that she was in a relationship with Jeff. 

If this fucked up day has taught her anything, it is that sometimes the people who will hurt you the most are your family and closest friends. And that sometimes it is the last person you expect who will come to your aid. 


	2. next day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leah confides in Fatin's mom and gets to experience some cute family domesticity.

Fatin’s mother is an incredibly warm person. Leah wasn’t sure what to expect when Mrs. Jadmani picked them up last night, but it wasn’t her running around the car to meet Leah with a gentle smile and comforting hug. 

Fatin seemed just as surprised as Leah, and when they met eyes over her mother’s shoulder as Leah tentatively wrapped her arms around Mrs. Jadmani, Fatin shrugged and sent Leah a little smirk.

After that, everything seemed to fast forward, the car ride a blur and then she was settling into the spare room next to Fatin’s. From what she caught of the house, it is massive and has a ton of windows. It’s beautiful, and Leah finds the whole thing a little surreal. 

“Leah, honey! How did you sleep?” Rana asks, having told Leah last night to call her by her first name and not Mrs. Jadmani, and Leah can only guess it has to do with Fatin’s dad.

“Very well, thank you. I don’t think I’ve ever slept on such a soft mattress before,” Leah says with a slight grin and Rana laughs.

“Only the best for my guests. Now, how are you with a whisk?” She asks, and Leah peers around at the massive island counter, taking in the multiple bowls and ingredients spread across it. Rana must have only just started preparing the food, and Leah would guess the boys and Fatin won’t be awake for a while. She doubts Fatin would voluntarily get up at seven in the morning on a Saturday. 

“I’m adequate,” Leah replies, walking around the island to stand next to Rana. Rana grins and passes her the utensil, and slides a bowl in front of her. When Leah looks down, she can tell it is the beginning of pancake batter. 

Leah shouldn’t be surprised that Rana would make food from scratch.

“By the time I am done with you, you will be an expert in the whisk business. Now beat that together until it’s smooth, and then when you finish, I will add the flour,” Rana says, and Leah nods quickly.

Leah whisks, trying her best not to make a mess, and Rana heads to the corner of the kitchen, and when Leah peers over, she finds a small built-in stereo in the wall by the sliding doors. Rana turns it on, and soon a quiet melody is floating through the kitchen, and Leah finds herself relaxing a little. 

Over the next hour, Rana teaches her how to cook nearly every breakfast food known to man. Eggs, scrambled for the boys, poached for Fatin, sunny side up for Rana and Leah, bacon with the perfect amount of crisp, golden pancakes; half chocolate chip and the rest either plain or blueberry. Then there are the homemade fries that Leah practically salivates over when they leave the oven. 

Leah sets the table and fills the glasses with orange juice while Rana wakes up the boys and Fatin. When the boys come running into the kitchen in their pyjamas, Leah can’t help but smile. They stop abruptly when they see Leah, and the youngest one hides behind his brother, who shies away too but manages to speak.

“Who are you? Are you a friend of Fatin’s?” He asks hesitantly, and Leah nods, sending him a smile.

“I am. My name is Leah. What’s yours?” She asks, and he relaxes some, moving to take his seat at the table and his brother follows.

“Samar, but everyone calls me Sam for short. And this is Aryan, but we call him Arry or Ryan. It’s up to you,” Sam says confidently, and amusement fills Leah before she nods and motions to the counter with her head.

“Nice to meet you both. Are you hungry?” 

They nod eagerly, and Leah grins, heading to grab the covered dishes. Once she has everything placed on the table, she helps the boys fill their plates, making sure it’s not too much before taking her seat. That is how Fatin and Rana find them, all three waiting patiently, and Fatin practically beams when she catches Leah’s eyes.

“Taking over the big sister duties, I see. Did you boys thank Leah?” Fatin asks as she plops into the chair between Arry and Leah, and the two nod.

“Yes! She’s nice; we like her,” Sam says bluntly and Leah ducks her head to hide her grin, and Rana chuckles as she takes the opposite side of Leah. 

“Thank you, Leah, for helping them. And for being such a lovely cooking companion. Maybe I could steal you away to help me with dinner tonight?” Rana asks as she begins to fill her plate, and Leah nods.

“Of course. Cooking is surprisingly fun.”

Fatin scoffs as she dumps food onto her plate. “Fun? Cooking is torture. It takes hours, and then you are finished eating the meal you slaved over in like twenty minutes. What’s the point?” 

Leah chuckles and picks up her fork when everyone else begins to dig in. “So you don’t get fat eating takeout for the rest of your life or end up broke?” Leah offers before she takes a bite of the home fries, and Fatin pauses in thought.

“I mean, I guess that’s a valid point. But that’s what a personal chef is for,” Fatin argues, and Leah smirks.

“That’s a fancy way of saying, mom,” Leah fires back, and Rana laughs when Fatin chokes a little on her sip of juice.

Sam and Arry giggle, and Leah sends them a smile while Fatin sends her a playful glare and kicks her calf gently in retaliation.

“She will probably be living with me until she is in her forties,” Rana teases, and Leah nods solemnly. 

“Sadly, I believe that.”

“Okay, I am right here. And I do not like this little alliance that is going on with you two. Leah was my friend first, mother,” Fatin sasses, and Leah shares a look with Rana.

“Yes, but we bonded during our time slaving away over this lovely meal. That makes us best friends now,” Rana replies, and Leah chuckles when Fatin grumbles and shoves a mouthful of pancake into her mouth.

After that, everyone’s focus returns to their breakfast, and soon enough, the table is clear, the boys running off to play while Leah stays in the kitchen with Rana and Fatin.

“Mom, Leah promised she would do the dishes for me. That was our deal. She stays here, and in return, I graciously hand over my dish duty to her,” Fatin says, trying to worm her way out of having to wash the dishes that are waiting in the sink full of soapy water.

Rana stares at her daughter incredulously for a minute before her eyes find Leah, who sends her a shrug trying not to laugh. “Are you listening to this, Leah? My daughter just ate the meal you helped cook and thinks it is polite to hand off her chore to you in thanks.”

Leah bites her lip to smother her grin when Fatin’s nose scrunches up. “I mean, I did promise her I would,” Leah says slowly, and Rana quirks a brow.

“I think feeding her outweighs the promise of washing the dishes, don’t you?” She asks Leah, completely ignoring Fatin’s pouting face and Leah shrugs.

“I mean, if you are telling me not to touch the dishes, who am I to go against the woman who so graciously took me in?” Leah says with a smirk, and Rana nods thoughtfully.

“Exactly. Leah, you are not to clean these dishes. If I catch you helping, I may just have to exchange your soft mattress for a firmer one,” Rana replies and Leah snickers.

“Got it.”

“Oh, come on!” Fatin groans and Leah laughs, holding up her hands as she slowly backs away from the sink. 

“Sorry, house rules, Jadmani. I don’t want to upset my host. So maybe you should get on those dishes. The faster you do it, the faster you can bitch about it later,” She teases, and Fatin sends her a glare and then one in her mother’s direction.

“I hate you both,” Fatin grumbles, and Rana pats her head as she passes. 

“I’m sure you do, Love. Now chop-chop. I need those dishes clean by lunch. So I can use them all again.”

Rana smirks at her glaring daughter before walking over to Leah, leading her out of the kitchen, leaving Fatin to mutter to herself and angrily scrub the dishes.

“She is a dramatic one,” Rana muses fondly as they walk down the hall towards the living room and Leah nods.

“I’m starting to realize that.”

Rana smiles and sits in the armchair when they enter the room, and Leah settles onto the couch, waiting for the inevitable conversation she is about to have. She can tell by the sympathetic look in Rana’s eyes that this will make her uncomfortable.

“I know this is difficult to talk about, Leah, but I just want to make sure that I cover all the bases. You are under my care now, and I wish to make your stay with us as comfortable as possible.”

Leah nods slowly, and Rana sits forward, reaching to take Leah’s hands in hers. “Now, you can refuse to answer, and I will respect your privacy, but I do hope you will help me understand the circumstances surrounding your parents’ decision to kick you out. You do not have to give me specifics, but a little information is helpful.”

Leah swallows roughly, and she looks away from Rana’s kind eyes to the fireplace that covers the wall across from the couch. For a minute, she works her jaw struggling to decide how to answer. If Leah told the truth, would Rana react the same way her parents did? If that happened, Leah would be left on the street again, and she can’t have that happen. But she has a gut feeling that Rana is more understanding than Leah is giving her credit for.

“They found out something about me,” Leah whispers, and Rana nods, tilting her head as she listens. “I um, I ended up getting myself caught up in a relationship that was not healthy. I don’t even know how it happened, he was nice and smart and paid attention to me, and it felt good to have that attention. But he was also older.”

Understanding dawns on Rana’s face and Leah winces, quickly averting her gaze to her hands that Rana is still holding gently. “ I see. Did he pressure you into that relationship?” Rana asks quietly, and Leah sucks on her bottom lips when tears spring to her eyes.

“I thought he hadn’t, in the beginning. I thought I had been the one to initiate everything. I even lied about my age. I told him I was eighteen. But the more I think about it, the more I recognize the little signs. He would brush my arm or thigh constantly but made it seem like it was unintentional. Or he would encroach on my space and compliment me. Say I was incredibly mature for my age or that I wasn’t like other women. He never treated me like a teenager, which I liked. I didn’t want him to see me as a kid. We texted all the time and had these deep talks, and I told him things about myself I’ve never told anyone else. He just knew how to get secrets out of me. And I knew that the age thing was a problem. I wasn’t even legal age yet, but I didn’t want him to throw me away.”

Leah pauses and takes a deep breath to steady herself, and Rana moves to sit next to her on the couch, pulling her into her side, rubbing her hand up and down Leah’s arm.

“I wanted his attention. He had this way of making me crave his presence, and for months that went on. So I lied about being eighteen. I thought it would be fine, but things escalated, and I had to keep our relationship a secret, and it was just so suffocating. I felt trapped. And then he found out about my real age. Someone sent him a copy of my birth certificate, and he freaked. He blocked my number and all my socials. He just disappeared, and then a few days later, my parents got an email. It had pictures of me with him. Compromising photos,” Leah explains, and Rana releases a long breath, her eyes closing briefly.

“Oh honey,” Rana breathes, and Leah’s chin wobbles.

“I feel dirty,” Leah rasps, her breath catching in her chest, and Rana tightens her hold on her.

“I know. But you are not. This will be hard to hear, but this man, Leah, he groomed you. He should never have even thought about you in a romantic sense. He knew you were in high school and whether you were eighteen already, that is still wrong. He is a grown man, and his actions are his own. Not yours. What he did would technically be considered rape by law. You were not of age, and even though you consented, those months of talking and innocent touching were anything but. They were deliberate. He preyed on your vulnerabilities. That is not okay.”

Leah presses the heels of her hands into her eyes to stop the tears from falling, and her shoulders jerk with a sudden sob. “I know,” Leah cries, and Rana immediately hugs her tighter pressing a kiss to her hair.

“I got you, honey. Your parents are terrible for doing what they did with such little information. They should have protected you, should have gotten your side of the story instead of assuming and dumping you on the street. You are safe here with us for as long as you wish to stay. And if you wish to speak with a professional, I will gladly pay for it,” Rana murmurs and Leah hiccups with a sob.

“I can’t let you do that.”

“You can. You need support, and I have more than enough money to spend on you. My divorce lawyer was excellent at her job,” Rana says, slightly teasing, and Leah releases a breathless laugh.

“I still feel bad. You shouldn’t have to take on another kid. Especially a messed up one.”

“You are not messed up, sweetheart. You have gone through a traumatic experience. And I know I don’t have to take you in. But I want to. What kind of person would that make me if I turned you away? I could never do that. From here on out, you are my honourary fourth child. You can fight me all you want, but this is happening. Though if you truly do not wish to stay, I can’t make you. I just hope you find somewhere safe to live,” Rana says, and Leah wipes her face, shaking her head.

“I don’t have anywhere else to go,” Leah says, her voice cracking, and Rana hums.

“Good thing my daughter is just as stubborn as I am then, or you may not have ended up here.”

Leah smiles to herself and nods, pulling back to look up at Rana. 

“Thank you. For everything. I am incredibly grateful.”

“No need to thank me. But you know what you could do for me?” Rana asks, a twinkle in her eye, and Leah frowns, shaking her head. “Help me spend my ex-husband’s money.”


	3. week one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fatin just wants to be Leah's friend. She also sucks at math.

Fatin can only follow behind her mom and Leah in a daze as they walk through the fifth store of the day. She can tell Leah is holding back on letting herself eye anything too long for fear Fatin’s mom will notice and add it to the pile of clothing that’s already overflowing in her arms. She’s aware Leah doesn’t like to feel like a charity case, but Leah also needs more clothes. Her parents didn’t give her much time to pack her things, and when Rana Jadmani wants to shop for you, you let her.

“Anything else that you like?” Rana asks Leah, and Fatin wants to poke her mother to stop adding more to the bill knowing Leah is already overwhelmed. 

“No, this is more than enough, thank you,” Leah murmurs, her cheeks flushing, and Fatin finds the sight adorable. 

She catches Leah’s eyes dip to the left for a second, too quick for her mother to notice as she turns back to the rack, but Fatin’s eyes have not left Leah all day, so of course, she catches it.

When she follows her gaze Fatin smirks to herself. There on the next rack over is a dark green army jacket that Fatin knows Leah would rock. It’s just her style, and with the way Leah looked at it, she wants it but will not admit it. She decides when Leah isn’t looking, she will sneak off to the cash register and buy it herself and give it to her later.

Her chance comes minutes later when Rana has Leah enter the change room to try everything on, and with more excitement than Fatin has ever had over buying something for someone else, she swipes her card and buries the jacket under the few tops she had picked out for herself. 

When she returns to her mother’s side, Leah is stepping out of the stall dressed in tight black skinny jeans that are ripped at the knees, a white, collared short-sleeve button-up shirt that has yellow flowers spread across it. The shirt and pants cling to her perfectly, and when Fatin looks down, Leah has a denim jacket in hand. 

She pulls the jacket on over the top of the shirt and peeks at herself in the mirror on the door, and Fatin finds she loves the pleased smile that spreads across Leah’s face. She looks damn good in such a simple outfit; Fatin wonders how more people don’t take notice of her. 

“You look amazing in that, sweetie. Keep it on; we will pay for it at the register,” Rana says, and Leah nods after a moment of hesitation. 

“Okay. This is the last outfit I had to try on,” Leah says, and Rana smiles.

“Perfect. Now we need shoes.”

Leah’s eyes widen, and her gaze immediately meets Fatin’s in the mirror pleading with her to stop her mother, but Fatin can only send her a wicked smirk.

When her mother leaves, Fatin steps close to Leah and presses her lips close to her ear. “Payback is a bitch, Rilke. I had to do dishes, so now you have to deal with the torture of shoe shopping with my mother.”

Leah’s mouth falls open in surprise, and Fatin sends her a wink before stepping back and strolling back through the store, Leah dragging her feet as she follows.

\------

Fatin doesn’t think she has been more attracted to Leah than she is at this moment. For the past two years, she has been crushing hard on her ever since Leah helped Fatin hide a bloodstain on her jeans in sophomore year. Her period had come early, and she hadn’t realized until lunch when a couple of boys began to snicker in the hallway glancing at her ass. Before she could react, Leah had appeared and tugged her into the nearest bathroom and slapped a few tampons in her hand, and before they left, she handed Fatin her black zip-up hoodie to tie around her waist for the rest of the day. 

Leah had barely said more than three words to her, most likely just doing her duty as a fellow female member and helping out, but after that, Fatin found herself searching for Leah any moment she got. They shared biology and English that year and then calculus and history the next, but she never got the nerve to speak to her. Now a senior, Fatin has grown out of that shy phase and become bold in her sexual prowess. A week ago was the first time in two years she has appropriately spoken to Leah, and she was incredibly proud of how well she interacted with her. She thought she would be a stuttering mess when Fatin met those insanely gorgeous blue eyes, but when she saw the devastation in them, her confidence surged, and the next thing she knew, she was bringing Leah home.

And now, as Leah helps her brother Arry with his English assignment, helping him sound out the words of the book he is to read, Fatin can only stare, her heart pounding hard in her chest. She’s a natural with him. Arry usually is shy and will not speak unless spoken to, but when they returned home from school, Arry had hesitantly tugged on Leah’s shirt and held up his book to her, asking for her help. 

He usually came to Fatin for help with school assignments or their mom, but for some reason, he chose Leah, who was shocked but immediately beamed and took his hand, leading him to the living room so they could sit on the floor at the coffee table. 

“I want Leah to help me too,” Sam whines, jolting Fatin out of her thoughts, and she gasps.

“Am I not enough anymore? You have to go and replace me with the intruder?” Fatin teases, and Sam grins, nodding.

“Yes. Leah’s smart. She reads big books and knows math. Even the hard numbers. Did you know three-hundred and forty-five divided by three equals one hundred and fifteen?” Sam asks excitedly, and Fatin frowns. Because no, no, she did not. Why would she need to divide that number?

“No, I didn’t.”

“Leah does. She taught me a bunch of them when you were at cello practice yesterday,” Sam says casually, and Fatin’s brows raise as she looks over at Leah, who looks up from the book Arry is reading like she sensed Fatin staring from the dining room.

She raises her brows in response, and Fatin sends her a smile before looking back at Sam’s homework.

“I can do the math. I’m going to own this shiz,” Fatin mutters, and Sam peers up at her in concern, looking like he would rather not have her mess around with his homework, but she is quick to grab his fifth-grade math textbook and a pen. 

She can do fifth-grade math. How hard can it be?

Not even thirty minutes later, Sam is yelling at her, and she is yelling right back, arguing that she did it right; she got the stupid answer in the back of the textbook.

“That’s not how you do it!” Sam shouts, yanking the textbook out of her hands and Fatin groans, throwing her arms up in defeat.

“I got the same answer! There is more than one way to solve the stupid thing!” 

“You didn’t even do the right steps, Fatin! I need to show my work, and you just skipped like four of them,” Sam complains, and Fatin scoffs.

“When the hell did they change math?” She demands, digging her fingers into her hips, and he glares up at her.

“Like a hundred years ago when you finished fifth grade,” He fires back, and Fatin’s mouth drops open.

“Did you just call me old?”

“Yes!” He shouts before whirling around to face Leah, who has come to stand at the dining room table looking highly amused.

“Leah, she messed up my work. Can you help me fix it?” Sam pleads, and Fatin gasps.

“Ungrateful little shit,” Fatin grumbles, and Sam points at her.

“That’s a bad word. You need to put money in the jar,” He demands, and Fatin rolls her eyes.

“Whatever. You run to Leah. I’m going to go do old people things like rinse out my dentures and fall asleep watching the news.”

“Now that is a lovely mental image,” Leah teases, and Fatin pokes her shoulder in retaliation as she passes.

“I know, right? Enjoy helping the brat. Come find me after so you can do my homework too.”

Leah laughs and nods as Fatin leaves, and then she is turning back to an annoyed Sam. “Alright, let’s see how badly she ruined this.”

\------

“Dude, you suck at math,” Leah says with a laugh when she enters Fatin’s room, and Fatin glares at her.

“That is rude, Rilke. I do just fine.”

“You mean you get other people to do it for you because I do not know how you got that answer by using the method you did. That was fluke one hundred percent,” Leah says as she flops down on Fatin’s bed, her legs dangling over the edge as Fatin spins in her desk chair.

“Wow, just wow. I would never cheat. That is low and not how I was raised and-” Leah gives her a flat look, and Fatin sighs, slumping back in her chair. “Alright, fine! I get that nerdy dude Jeremy or whatever his name is to do my work for me.”

Leah laughs brightly and Fatin chuckles, wheeling her chair over until she is right next to Leah. “You know I could tutor you,” Leah offers, and Fatin raises her brows in surprise.

“Really?”

“Yeah, why not? I am already doing it for two Jadmanis; why not a third?” Leah teases, and Fatin scrunches up her nose.

“I can’t believe my ten-year-old brother is smarter than me.”

“I don’t think it has anything to do with intelligence. I think it has to do with the effort Sam puts into his studies,” Leah points out and Fatin groans.

“I hate math, though! I don’t want to put the effort in,” Fatin whines, and Leah rolls her eyes.

“It amazes me how you have devoted your life to playing the cello but not paying attention to one class.”

“Um, because I enjoy playing the cello and hate math. What is there to get confused about?” Fatin asks, and Leah chuckles.

“Point taken.”

Fatin hums and grins smugly as she twists back and forth in her chair, Leah watching her silently with a small grin.

“So, it’s been a week of you living here. Have I finally convinced you to stop avoiding me at school?” Fatin asks quietly, and Leah purses her lips, her smile slipping.

“Trust me; I’m doing you a favour. Your social status will plummet if you showed up with me in your car, let alone ate lunch with me,” Leah says and Fatin’s jaw ticks.

“Leah, I don’t give a fuck about that. You’re my friend, and I’m sick of pretending we don’t know each other.”

“Fatin, we barely knew each other before this week,” Leah sighs, sitting up, and Fatin frowns. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and what your mom has done, of course. But be realistic. We do not run in the same circles. Ian was my one friend at school, and now he’s ditched me, and I don’t need you to pity me. You have your group of friends; you don’t need me intruding in another part of your life.”

Fatin purses her lips, and for a minute, all she can do is stare at Leah. “Leah, none of those people I hang out with are real friends. They only care about my money or status. They use me, and I use them as a distraction when I am tired of the cello. You are already my closest friend. You’re a real one, Leah Rilke. You don’t care for bullshit or drama, and that’s a fucking blessing. If those people ditch me because I sit with you at lunch, I couldn’t care less. I care about us getting along, and I want us to be friends. Is that okay with you?”

Leah rolls onto her stomach and pillows her head on her arms as she stares up at Fatin, an inscrutable expression on her face. “You’re not going to stop until I say yes, are you?” She murmurs, and Fatin grins widely.

“Nope!”

Leah sighs deeply and sends Fatin a small grin. “Fine. I will permit you to sit with me at lunch.”

“And walk you to class. And talk to you in between classes. And drive you right up to the school instead of dropping you off a block away like some dirty little secret,” Fatin adds, listing them on her fingers and Leah chuckles.

“Alright! Yes, to all of the above. But you have to let me tutor you in math,” Leah says with a smirk, and Fatin’s glee immediately dims, being replaced by horror.

“No.”

“Yes.” 

Fatin and Leah glare at each other for a solid minute before Fatin relents. “Fine! You can teach me stupid math. But I make no promises of actually doing well.”

“That’s all I ask. And starting tomorrow, you can sit at my table and become an outsider like me,” Leah says, and Fatin grins happily.

“I look forward to it.”


	4. week three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fatin and Leah are now friends at school. Ian is a douchebag. Toni and Leah's brotp begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I was not expecting this fic to blow up as it has, BUT I am so happy it has. Thank you to all who have read, commented, and or left kudos. You all are amazing. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
> 
> P.S. this is not Ian friendly, so sorry to anyone who is a fan of him, but I don't like him for some reason.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy!

After their talk last week, Fatin kept her word and strolled through the cafeteria, completely swerving around her regular table to join Leah in the far corner by the wall of windows. That morning when she pulled up with Leah in her passenger seat, the whispers and stares were immediate, but she couldn’t care less. Leah had agreed to hang out with her at school, and she was fucking ecstatic. 

This is what she has wanted for years, and now she finally gets to be herself and hopefully makes a real friend. Maybe even capitalize on her crush and end up in a relationship, and not just some hookup. 

She’s tired of being used and using others to scratch an itch. She doesn’t want to be like her father. She wants to be someone a person can depend on and wish to raise a family with; she wants to be like her mom. Her mom is the best, and even after everything that happened with her dad Rana stayed strong for them. She puts them before herself; she didn’t even blink when Fatin told her about Leah. That’s the kind of person she wants to be, and she hates that she had been blind before. She idolized her father while she put her mother down for keeping her on track with the cello. She hated the pressure and thought her mom was controlling, but she isn’t. She pushed Fatin because that is what she believed Fatin wanted. She thought Fatin still wanted to go to Julliard and become a professional cello player. It wasn’t until after the separation that she sat Fatin down and told her to be honest.

After that, it was smooth sailing. Fatin still loves playing the cello, but she doesn’t want to make a career out of it. Rana understood and immediately eased up on her, giving her room to breathe and find what she likes. Fatin still doesn’t know what she wants to do yet, but she knows her mom isn’t going to hound her to find something. She has time, and Fatin never realized how much she needed that control. 

With a happy smile, Fatin plops down into the chair across from Leah, who has her head bent over another giant novel. Leah looks up and sends her a small grin, closing the book without marking the page.

The first time Fatin saw her do that, she thought she was crazy. She told her she just lost her spot, but Leah only said she memorizes the page number instead.

“Hey,” Leah says, and Fatin’s smile grows. Even something so small as that greeting from Leah can improve her mood.

“Hey yourself.”

“Get me anything good?” Leah teases, looking over Fatin’s tray of food, and Fatin immediately plops the cup of fries in front of her, followed by the large grilled chicken sandwich that is still steaming. 

Leah beams and immediately plucks a fry out to munch on, and Fatin watches fondly before tearing into her fries.

“No tomato?” Leah asks in surprise, and Fatin glances up, finding Leah has lifted the bun to check.

“It’s wasted on your sandwich since the past two times you had the same meal you picked it off. I asked them not to put it on today,” Fatin says with a shrug, and Leah stares at her incredulously before a huff of laughter escapes her.

“You’re something else, Jadmani. But thank you.”

Fatin beams at her before taking a giant bite of her chicken caesar wrap. She has just swallowed when someone bumps into the back of her chair, knocking her forward. She looks over her shoulder sharply and finds the scrawny kid Leah used to hang out with walking off, his angry eyes catching Fatin’s.

“What the fuck,” Leah mutters, glaring at Ian, looking like she is ready to go after him, and Fatin is quick to grip her hand. Leah blinks and looks down at their hands and then Fatin’s face before she slumps back in her seat. 

“Don’t worry about it, Lee. He’s a jealous little prick. If he’s angry at me for spending time with you, I couldn’t care less. He lost that privilege, and I will gladly rub it in his face to show him what he missed out on,” Fatin says, and Leah bites her bottom lip. 

Two days ago, Fatin managed to get a little information from Leah about what happened with Ian. Fatin was stunned to hear that after eleven years of friendship and growing up together, he could toss that away because Leah didn’t return his feelings. The pettiness astounds her, and now here he is jealous that Fatin has stepped up to be Leah’s new friend. 

Man, she wants to break his little weasel face for hurting Leah. 

“Thank you, but that’s still wrong of him to do. I don’t want him targeting you because he’s a fucking douchebag,” Leah mutters, and Fatin sends her a smile.

“I can handle myself, Rilke. That little twerp is going to need to do more than knock the back of my chair to get a rise out of me. Now eat your food before it gets cold. I want to hear about this new book you’re reading.”

Leah’s eyes light up, and just like that, Ian is forgotten. Fatin grins to herself when Leah immediately begins to eat, excited to discuss her book. Two weeks of this and Fatin still looks forward to listening to Leah ramble on about the massive novels she is currently reading. 

\-----

If someone told Fatin three weeks ago that the girls’ basketball team’s volatile captain would suddenly be attached to Leah’s hip, she would have told them to chill with the drugs. 

But seeing it with her own eyes, Fatin can only stare as Leah laughs at whatever Toni says as they walk down the hall in her direction. When Leah sees her, she sends Fatin a wide grin and tugs Toni with her as she veers right through the crowd to reach Fatin’s locker.

“Hey!” Leah greets her, and Fatin grins, giving Leah a side hug, their friendship’s newest development. 

“Hi, Lee,” Fatin murmurs and when they pull back, her focus returns to Toni, who is watching the interaction with a knowing glint in her eyes.

Now it’s no secret that Toni is gay; hell, her girlfriend is the cheer team captain, for crying out loud, but Fatin’s sexuality is lesser-known. She doesn’t actively hide it; she has hooked up with girls at parties but is always drunk. She has never been in a relationship with anyone, so she is aware people may not put it together. But the way she is around Leah is not subtle, and for a second, Fatin fears Toni will comment but instead, she nods to Fatin in greeting.

“Shalifoe, good to see you,” Fatin says, and Toni’s lips quirk up.

“You too, Jadmani.”

“Toni is my partner for my history project. Is it cool that we work on it at your house?” Leah asks, and Fatin blinks.

“Well, considering my house is also your house, I’d say yes.”

Leah’s cheeks flush slightly, and Fatin immediately feels terrible for being so blunt, but before she can apologize, Leah is sending her a small smile.

“Right. Still feels a little weird, I guess,” Leah says quietly, and Fatin nods quickly, slinging her arm over Leah’s shoulders.

“I know. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to blurt that out. But it’s true. You’re now an honorary Jadmani, and you have as much claim on the house as I do. Now let’s get you two out to the car, and we can pick up some food on the way. I don’t want to cook,” Fatin says, and Leah snorts.

“You mean you don’t want to wait for your mom or me to cook,” Leah says, poking Fatin in the side and immediately Fatin flinches away laughing.

“Yes, okay. I do not want to wait for my chefs to prepare my meal, so I want a snack before I have to suffer through the wait time.”

“Damn home-cooked meals? You’re living the life,” Toni says with a playful grin as they head for the parking lot, and Fatin sends her a smirk.

“Don’t worry, Shalifoe, if you’re good, I may offer you some scraps from tonight’s meal.”

Leah gasps, digging her elbow into Fatin’s ribs, and Toni barks out a laugh. 

“I like you, Jadmani.”

Fatin grins and looks over at Leah, wagging her brows. “Hear that, Rilke? The basketball captain likes me. I think I might have a shot of hanging out with the popular kids now.”

Leah rolls her eyes, but there is a smile playing at her lips, and Toni chuckles while shoving the door open and holding it for Leah and Fatin.

“Oh damn, and here I thought chivalry was dead. Shelby is a lucky girl,” Fatin says with a wink in Toni’s direction, earning her an eye roll.

“I know how to please a girl, Jadmani. There is a reason Shelb chose me over Andrew Collins. If his fumbling of a football is anything to go by, he’s not that great with his hands,” Toni replies, a smug smirk on her lips and Leah snickers while Fatin laughs, patting Toni on the shoulder.

“Damn right, girl,” Fatin says and slings her arms over both Leah and Toni’s shoulders as they walk to her car.

“Leah!” 

Fatin feels Leah stiffen, and then the girl comes to an abrupt stop, which has Fatin pulling Toni to a halt as all three of them turn to face the person who has called after Leah. 

Ian.

“Oh, for the love of,” Fatin mutters, and Toni looks over at her in confusion before focusing on Leah. 

“Go on, guys, I’ll only be a minute,” Leah tells them, and when Fatin hesitates, she pushes Fatin’s hip gently. “I’ll be fine.”

With a clenched jaw, Fatin nods and leads Toni to her car a few feet away.

“Who’s that?” Toni asks when they get in, Fatin in the driver’s seat and Toni in the back. 

“Ian. Leah’s ex-best friend. He’s a prick,” Fatin grumbles as she fixes her rearview mirror so she can watch the pair. Toni turns around in her seat to look and releases a low whistle.

“Looks like Leah is laying into him,” Toni says, and Fatin hums, narrowing her eyes as Ian looks down at his feet like a kicked puppy.

Whatever Leah is saying must be rough because his cheeks burn red, and Fatin feels a sick satisfaction curl through her stomach at the thought. She wishes she can hear what Leah is saying. 

When it looks like Leah is calming down, Ian lifts his head to peer down at her and then Leah is turning her back on him. Fatin’s stomach churns when his expression shutters, anger dominating his features. Fatin’s door is swinging open as soon as she catches the twitch of his hand, and Toni is quick to jump out of the car too. 

Toni is closer to Leah when Ian grabs her. His fingers seize Leah’s wrist, and he yanks her around, pulling a pained gasp from her and then to Fatin’s horror, he grabs her chin and crushes his lips to hers. 

The kiss barely lasts three seconds before Toni tackles him to the ground, but it’s as if it happens in slow motion for Fatin. It lasts forever in her mind, and when everything snaps back into place, Ian is on the ground with Toni forcing his face into the pavement, and Leah is stumbling into Fatin. 

She wraps her arms around Leah’s waist quickly and turns her so she can search her face. Leah’s eyes are blank, her face drained of colour, and Fatin inhales sharply. She cups Leah’s face with a gentle hand, and Leah blinks, once slowly, then a second time, the fog in her eyes clearing some.

“Hey, I got you,” Fatin murmurs, and Leah jerks her head in a resemblance of a nod and with shaking hands, Leah fists Fatin’s jacket like she is trying to ground herself.

“Ms. Shalifoe!” 

Fatin and Leah flinch, their bubble bursting when they hear the principal bark Toni’s name and when they turn, Toni is still sitting on Ian as he struggles and curses, not bothering to release his head.

“Shit,” Fatin mutters and immediately grabs Leah’s hand, quickly closing the distance between them and Toni, intercepting Principal Connor before she can reach Toni.

“She was protecting Leah,” Fatin says immediately, and Principal Connor frowns, looking between a pale Leah, Fatin and then Toni, who looks content just to hold Ian down.

“From what exactly, Ms. Jadmani?” She asks, and Fatin points at Ian.

“He grabbed Leah’s arm and wrenched her around before kissing her without consent. Toni tackled him, but that was it. She didn’t hit him or anything.”

Principal Connor’s jaw clenches, and she focuses on Leah, who is pressing further into Fatin’s side. “Is that what happened?” 

Leah nods.

“I see. Ms. Shalifoe, please release Mr. Murnen,” Connor says, and Toni is quick to stand, leaving Ian flat on his stomach, groaning. “Mr. Murnen, with me.”

Ian is slow getting to his feet; his head ducked low as the crowd of students surrounding them begin to murmur. Fatin tightens her hold on Leah as he passes, and Toni comes to stand on Leah’s other side.

“I realize it is the end of the school day and that this was a violent act on you, Ms. Rilke, so for now, I want you to go home and rest. Tomorrow we will speak, and you will give your statement. If you wish to press charges, I will help you do so,” Principal Connor says quietly, and Leah nods quickly.

“Thank you,” She murmurs, and Principal Connor sends her a gentle smile before focusing on Toni.

“You did well protecting a fellow student. I will not discipline you for tackling Mr. Murmen. I will need your recount of the events as well, but we will discuss it tomorrow.” Principal Connor looks to Fatin and adds, “Both of you.”

Toni and Fatin nod, and then Principal Connor is waving to the security guard to grab Ian and lead him back towards the school.

“We don’t have to start our project tonight, Leah,” Toni offers quietly, but Leah shakes her head.

“No, I want to. I need the distraction,” Leah says, and after a second of hesitation and sharing a look with Fatin, Toni nods.

“Alright then, let’s get you home,” Fatin says and leads them back to her car.

Her food can wait.

\------

By dinner time, Fatin notices, Leah seems to be back to her usual self, almost like the altercation with Ian never happened. She laughs with Toni as they work on their project in the living room, Fatin watching from the dining room table doing her work. They get a good chunk of their paper done by the time Rana calls for them to come to the kitchen.

Toni joins them for dinner and settles on Leah’s left side while Fatin takes the right and between the two of them manage to keep Leah distracted with their jokes.

When they finish, Leah and Toni head back to the living room to work some more, leaving Fatin and Rana left in the kitchen, the boys running off to play somewhere or bug Leah.

“Toni seems lovely,” Rana says as she dries the dishes Fatin sets in the second sink, and Fatin nods.

“She’s cool. I haven’t interacted with her until today, but I think she and Leah are going to be hanging out more now.”

“That’s good. Leah needs some more friends,” Rana replies and Fatin nods.

For a few minutes, they work in silence, Fatin scrubbing the dishes a little too vigorously. Rana stops drying the plate in her hands and turns to Fatin in concern.

“Honey, are you okay? Did something happen today?” She asks, and Fatin releases a bitter laugh.

“You could say that. Leah basically got sexually assaulted by her asshole of an ex-best friend.” 

Rana stiffens and immediately sets the half-dried plate on the counter, placing a hand on Fatin’s arm to get her to stop scrubbing for a moment.

“Tell me,” Rana demands gently, and Fatin swallows, glancing towards the hall, not wanting to break Leah’s trust, but Rana is going to find out soon enough. The school has her on file as Leah’s guardian now. 

“Ian, he called after Leah when we were walking to my car. She said she would be fine talking to him, so Toni and I waited in the car but watched them. I guess Leah put him in his place because he got angry when she turned away, and that’s when he grabbed her wrist. He yanked her around and kissed her. Toni tackled him, but Leah wasn’t all there. She’s acting normal, but I doubt she is okay. We are going to talk to the Principal tomorrow to give our statements. She said she would help Leah press charges if that is the course she wants to take,” Fatin explains quietly, and Rana takes a deep breath.

“I see. I will go to the school tomorrow and discuss what happened with your Principal. I’m sure I have a missed call from the school by now,” Rana says, and Fatin nods.

“Okay. But what do I do about Leah? She was shaken up, mom. She had gone pale, and when I reached her, she didn’t even see me, like she was stuck in her head. She practically shook in my arms. But now she’s acting like she’s fine? Do I just leave it, or do I ask her about it or-” 

Rana interrupts Fatin’s rambling by merely placing a soft hand on her cheek. When Fatin peers at her mom Rana is watching her with a small smile.

“Leah has a past Fatin. And I think what happened with this Ian has forced her to think about it, and from what I have gathered, Leah would rather push it down and pretend it doesn’t exist, but we both know that’s not how it works. So I think you should just be yourself, support her, and go on the way you have been the past three weeks, and Leah will come to you. If she wishes to speak about it, she will. But be patient, Love. I know you are curious, but it’s best not to push for now.”

“Okay, Mama,” Fatin whispers, and she closes her eyes when Rana presses a sweet kiss to her forehead.

“You are so kind, honey, and I am so proud of you for stepping up and being the friend Leah needs right now.”

Fatin’s cheeks flush, and she ducks her head into her mom’s shoulder when she pulls her into a hug. 

“Go on; I’ll finish here. I think for today, you can get out of dish duty,” Rana murmurs in Fatin’s ear and Fatin grins, pulling back from the hug.

“You’re the best mom.”

“I know,” Rana says with a wink before nudging Fatin towards the living room. Fatin doesn’t hesitate, and when she enters, she finds Arry and Sam have chosen to bug Leah.

Arry is on Leah’s lap playing with one of his toy planes, making flying noises while Leah and Toni talk, sitting cross-legged on the floor, their homework packed away. Sam is lying on his stomach next to Toni, watching the t.v with rapt attention, and Fatin’s chest fills with so much warmth she could swear her heart grew in size like the Grinch. 

“Having a party without me, I see,” Fatin says with a smile, and everyone looks over as she plops down on the carpet next to Leah, sprawling out on her stomach like Sam. 

“Done the dishes so soon?” Leah teases, and Fatin sticks her tongue out at her.

“My mom told me to hang out with you rugrats instead. And we both know I didn’t hesitate to book it out of the kitchen,” She replies, and Leah chuckles. 

“Well, lucky you. We were just discussing a movie to watch before Shelby picks up Toni in a few hours. You in?” Leah asks, and Fatin perks up.

“I’ll get the snacks.”


	5. week three pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fatin is a sap. Leah gets a job. Fatin and Dot’s brotp begins.

Leah can’t sleep. 

Everything that happened with Ian hours earlier plagues her mind as she sits curled up in the large and comfortable armchair that sits next to the bedroom window. She drags her comforter high over her body, tucking it under her chin as she stares out at the clear sky. The moon is full and casting shadows throughout the room, and the stars twinkle brightly. 

She quickly spots the Big Dipper and finds comfort in its constant presence. Any time she stargazes, she can always find it. She finds the Little Dipper soon after, and with a little more focus, she catches sight of Cassiopeia.

When she was younger, she was obsessed with space and was determined to learn all the constellations. Her dad would take her to the planetarium every weekend. He even bought her a telescope on her seventh birthday. 

It sits abandoned in her room now, and Leah’s throat tightens at the thought of never getting to use it again. 

Ian was the first person she let use her telescope other than her dad. She tried to teach him the constellations, but he was more interested in finding planets. He wasn’t great at using the telescope, but his enthusiasm made up for it. They bonded over their love of space, and then Ian began to take an interest in cars and using lego to create models of buildings. As they grew, their passion for reading became their new shared interest, but he never lost his love for creating things, just as she never lost her love of writing no matter how many times Ian told her it was not a sustainable career path. Leah is sure Ian will make an incredible architect one day, but after today she doesn’t care what he does. Before, she thought they might have a chance of reconnecting, but after he forced himself on her, Leah doesn’t want anything to do with him. 

She wants to forget him, but she can’t, not with their altercation repeating on a loop in her mind.

_As she waits for Ian to reach her, Leah can’t help but wish she hadn’t sent Fatin to the car. For some reason, she feels more grounded when Fatin is around. And as Ian stops a foot away from her, Leah feels unsteady. She has no idea what is about to come out of his mouth._

_“Lee,” Ian says breathlessly, and Leah flinches. The way that nickname leaves his lips just hits her ear wrong. He says it too casually, almost intimately, like they are still as close as when they were kids. Like he didn’t abandon her and slut-shame her all those weeks ago._

_Leah finds the only person she wants, calling her Lee, is Fatin. Fatin, who always says it softly, wistfully, and in a way that rolls off her tongue like she has been calling Leah that their whole lives. It comforts her in a way Ian’s version never did._

_“Don’t call me that,” Leah says sharply, and Ian’s brows furrow._

_“What? I always call you-”_

_“That was before,” Leah snaps, and Ian shuts his mouth with an audible click. “That was before you called me a whore and ditched me because I don’t have romantic feelings for you. That was before when you were still my best friend.”_

_Ian ducks his head in shame, shoving his hands into his pockets and Leah’s veins thrum with rage at sight._

_“You don’t get to pretend like you didn’t hurt me and then come around after weeks of ignoring me, acting as if nothing happened. I know you were the one who sent Jeff my birth certificate, and I know you are the one who sent those photos to my parents. Because of you, they kicked me out,” Leah hisses, leaning closer, and Ian lifts his gaze in surprise._

_“They what?” He asks in disbelief, and Leah clenches her jaw._

_“You heard me. Just like you, my parents called me a slut and threw me on the street. They didn’t even try to ask me my side of the story. Those photos were all they needed. You violated my privacy, and you ruined my life. I can’t believe you watched me with him. That is fucking disgusting. And I will not have you grovelling now. I want nothing to do with you.”_

_Ian’s cheeks burn red, and he hunches his shoulders. “I didn’t watch,” He hisses, and Leah nearly scoffs. “I only took some photos and left. I’m not a voyeur, Leah. I just wanted you to stop the twisted affair you found yourself in. I was protecting you.”_

_“Bullshit!” Leah shouts, clenching her fists when the instinct to shove him rises. “You wanted me to yourself. You thought that if you ruined my relationship with Jeff, I would go running to you for comfort, and you could make your move. But that didn’t turn out the way you wanted it to, did it? Because when I rejected your advances, you lashed out and, just like that, severed our friendship. My best friend would never mistreat me like that; he would never call me a whore, or blame me for Jeff’s advances. He would never call me easy. So fuck you, Ian. Fuck you and your bullshit apology. I don’t want it, and I don’t want you in my life. I have new friends, and they treat me a hell of a lot better than you.”_

_“Who? Fatin?” Ian spits, and Leah doesn’t like the way he says her name. Like Fatin is some piece of gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe._

_“Yeah, Ian. Fatin. She took me in when I had no one, and already she is a better friend than you ever were. So next time you think of messing with her, I suggest you don’t. I won’t let it slide again,” Leah says coolly before spinning on her heels to make her way to the car._

_Cool fingers wrap around her wrist in a bruising grip before she can take a step, and a pop echoes in her ears as Ian whips her back around. She gasps and stumbles, pain radiating down her arm and for a moment, she worries he dislocated her shoulder. She is reaching for her shoulder when Ian’s other hand grabs her chin hard, and to her disgust, he plants a rough kiss on her lips._

_Leah freezes, her eyes wide. Ian’s lips are dry and clumsy as they move over hers. Immediately his tongue is slipping into her mouth, and she nearly gags. It’s the longest moment of her life, she thinks, as her body refuses to cooperate and defend herself. She wants to shove him off her, but her hands are limp at her sides. Because Jeff grabbed her like this before, he was rough, painfully so, and drunk. His fingers left dark bruises on her wrists, hips and thighs after he used her body like she was nothing more than an object. She remembers the shock and pain, and when he finished, he told her to leave. That was one of the last times they were intimate. Never in her life had she felt so disgusted with herself as she left his apartment._

_She jolts out of the memory when Toni appears out of nowhere tackling Ian, and Leah somehow ends up in Fatin’s warm embrace._

Leah is startled out of her thoughts when there is a quiet knock on her door. When she looks over, Fatin is peeking her head in, and their eyes meet in the soft glow emanating from the bedside lamp. 

“Hey, what are you doing up?” Leah whispers, sitting up straighter in her chair, and Fatin takes that as an invitation and quickly walks over to sit on the cushioned window seat, grabbing a blanket from Leah’s bed as she passes.

Once she is settled and wrapped in the blanket, Fatin sends Leah a small smile. “Was thirsty. And then I saw the light coming from under your door on my way back. Are you doing okay?” Fatin asks, and Leah shrugs, hugging her knees to her chest so she can rest her chin on them. 

“Just have a lot on my mind,” Leah murmurs, and Fatin nods.

“It was certainly an eventful day,” Fatin says, and Leah chuckles bitterly.

“That’s an understatement. God, why are guys so fucking horrible?” She asks, and Fatin tilts her head but stays silent, so Leah continues. “This is the second one to hurt me and think he has a right to my body. I am so sick of being used. I am so sick of letting them have that power over me, making me feel helpless. I don’t ever want to be in another relationship with a guy.”

Leah takes a deep breath to calm herself, and when she meets Fatin’s gaze, her cheeks warm under the intensity of it. For a long moment, they sit in silence, staring at each other and then Fatin is sliding across the bench until she is right in front of Leah’s chair.

“I’m going to try something right now, and I can’t promise that it will go okay,” Fatin murmurs, and Leah frowns, curious as to what she could be referring to, and then her lips curl up when Fatin stands and slips into the chair with Leah pulling her into a hug. 

They have hugged before, sure. But it’s always quick and rarely a proper one, mostly Fatin tugging Leah into her side. But this one is different. It’s tight, with Leah’s head resting on Fatin’s shoulder, and then Fatin is dragging Leah’s legs over her own, practically cradling her.

Leah grips the front of Fatin’s ratty t-shirt and closes her head, letting her body melt into the embrace. They stay like that, Fatin rocking the chair slowly as her fingers play with the ends of Leah’s hair and her eyes droop. The warmth and soothing touch are enough to have her mind going fuzzy, and when Fatin begins to hum under her breath, Leah curls closer, tugging her comforter over Fatin, so they are both under it.

“The only person who has a right to your body is you, and only you. I don’t know what happened to you before coming here, and I don’t need to. If you are willing to share, I will listen, but until then, I will be here as your friend. And I will kick every fucker’s ass who has hurt you. Ian is lucky Toni got to him first because I was ready to go all Black Widow on his bitch ass,” Fatin says quietly, and Leah can’t help but chuckle.

“You watch superhero movies?” She asks, peering up at Fatin.

Fatin scoffs. “Have you seen Scarlett Johansson? Of course, I watch superhero movies. Oh, and don’t even get me started on Gal Gadot.”

Leah snickers but nods her agreement. “Fair. I’ve watched Wonder Woman at least five times.”

Fatin chokes on a laugh and holds out her fist for Leah to bump. “Respect.”

Leah smiles to herself and knocks their knuckles together before settling into Fatin further. 

“Thank you,” Leah whispers, gripping Fatin’s hand. “Thank you for having my back and for being so sweet. You’ve helped me more than you know in these past few weeks. And I do what to tell you about why my parents kicked me out, but I’m not there yet. But I will tell you, I promise.”

Fatin runs her thumb over Leah’s knuckles and nods. “Anytime, Lee. And there is no rush, hell you don’t even have to tell me, but if you do, I look forward to knowing more about you.”

“I look forward to learning more about you too,” Leah murmurs, and Fatin sighs.

“That will be boring, but I’ll share because I’m nice.”

Leah grins and then immediately yawns, her head settling more comfortably into the crook of Fatin’s neck, her eyes falling shut. Fatin begins to hum again and play with Leah’s hair, and she has never been more content than right now with Fatin’s warmth surrounding her.

Leah doesn’t remember falling asleep, but when she wakes, she is startled to find she is still curled around Fatin in the chair. The sun is bright as it shines through the window, stinging Leah’s eyes, and when she peers up, Fatin has her cheek resting on top of her head, her slow breaths ruffling Leah’s hair slightly. 

Leah smiles slightly and carefully lifts the comforter searching for Fatin’s left wrist, knowing she never takes off her watch. She twists the gold band gently until she can see the ticking hands, and her eyes widen in surprise.

It’s eleven in the morning. They are three hours late for school.

“Shit,” Leah hisses and then stiffens when Fatin hums and shifts in her sleep. With bated breath, Leah waits as she slowly gains consciousness. Fatin lifts her head and immediately rubs her eyes with one hand while the other grips Leah’s hip.

“Damn, it’s bright,” Fatin grumbles, and Leah chuckles, which has Fatin looking down at her in surprise like she didn’t think she was awake. “Well, hello. Have a good sleep, Rilke?”

Leah sends her a smile and nods, reaching out to squeeze Fatin’s hand. “I did thank you. And because it was so good, we are late for school.”

“Oh, yeah,” Fatin says, yawning, and she waves her hand dismissively. “My mom came in at seven, but we were dead to the world. She woke me and told me she would call the school to say we won’t be coming in. She’s going to talk to Principal Connor anyway about Ian.”

“Oh,” Leah whispers, and her panic fades. She settles back into Fatin, who chuckles. 

“That disappointed to miss school? Or is it because you have to hang out with me all day?”

Leah rolls her eyes at Fatin’s teasing and shakes her head. “Yeah, that’s it. I can’t stand you.”

“Ouch,” Fatin gasps and Leah snickers. “You know I was going to take you out for breakfast, but since you were so rude, I don’t think I will now.”

Leah looks up and grins at Fatin’s pout. “Where were you going to take me?”

“Renee’s, of course.”

Leah’s eyes widen, and she immediately sits up. Renee’s is the best breakfast place in town and Leah’s absolute favourite. “Wait, I’m sorry. I was just kidding; I love spending time with you.”

Fatin laughs as Leah clasps her hands in front of her pleading, and Leah grins knowing she won. 

“Alright, fine. I will still take you, but you are paying.”

Leah beams and scrambles off Fatin’s lap, tossing her comforter to the floor before pausing and looking back at Fatin, who raises a brow in response.

“I don’t have money,” Leah says, and Fatin purses her lips.

“Damn. Guess I’m also paying.” Fatin winks, and Leah beams again before rushing towards the closet to grab some clothes. Fatin leaves her to get dressed, and when she is ready, Fatin is already waiting at the door.

“Let’s get you fed,” Fatin teases and links her arm through Leah’s, leading her to the car.

//

Fatin can’t help but gravitate to Leah on their day out. After last night, falling asleep with Leah in her arms, she can’t stop her mind from being consumed by the girl. Her smile, laugh, the feeling of her breath ghosting her neck as she slept or the comforting weight of Leah's body against hers. All of it has her selfishly wanting it to happen again. So during breakfast, she does her best to get Leah laughing and smiling, her cerulean blue eyes sparkling as they hold Fatin’s gaze. And then their walk in the park to get ice cream had Leah linking their arms together for the majority of the walk intermingled with taking Fatin’s hand when she got excited pointing out the dogs playing with their owners. Now in the bookstore, Fatin’s eyes never leave Leah as she trails after her through the stacks, a goofy grin on her face, and she finds she doesn’t care. 

She wants to look at Leah; she wants to hold her hand and make her laugh and wrap her arms around the girl like she did last night. Her crush is getting out of control, she knows, and damn if she doesn’t just want to blurt her feelings out to Leah. Hell to anyone. 

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you have the hots for Rilke,” A voice says from behind her, startling Fatin out of her thoughts. (And her staring at Leah's long fingers caressing the spines of the books).

When she turns, a smirk settles on her lips. “Dot Campbell. You work here?” She asks, and Dot raises her brows.

“Deflect much? And yes, I do. So are you going to buy something or just stare after your girl?”

Dot’s grin is wicked, and Fatin can’t help but chuckle and shake her head, trying to ignore the heat creeping up her neck.

“Well, I’m her bank at the moment, so whatever she picks, I’m buying,” Fatin says coolly, and they both return their attention to Leah, who is engrossed in reading the back of a book. 

She knew that Leah would have been content getting books from the library since she hasn’t been able to find employment yet, but Fatin wanted to treat her after dealing with Ian. She wants to take her mind off it.

“Never would have pegged Leah as a sugar baby,” Dot says with a snicker, and Fatin sends her a glare.

“She’s not. She’s been through a lot, and I’m trying to help her out. She wants to get a job but hardly anywhere is hiring students,” She says, and Dot sends her an apologetic smile before she tilts her head thoughtfully, her eyes back on Leah.

“Well, the store is looking for a new member now. A girl just got fired last week.”

Fatin perks up and quickly turns to face Dot. “Are you serious? Leah’s obsessed with books; this place would be perfect.”

Dot smirks and jerks chin in Leah’s direction. “You think she can handle dealing with people? The last girl lost her shit on a guy who couldn’t make up his mind between paperback or hardcover. So she’s going to need patience.”

Fatin snickers but nods and glances over her shoulder to look at Leah, who has three books in her arms and seems content with her choices as she walks towards Fatin.

“I found the last book in that series I was telling you about,” Leah says in greeting, a wide grin on her face, and Fatin beams. 

“That’s awesome, Lee. Dot here was just saying they have an opening here if you are interested.”

Leah’s gaze flicks to Dot in surprise. “Dot, good to see you. And that’s amazing, Is there an application I can fill out?”

Dot nods. “You too, Rilke. And yeah, I can grab you one; they are up at the cash register.”

“Awesome. I think I’ve finished browsing anyway,” Leah replies with a smile and Fatin peers down the three books with a frown. Leah will go through those in two days, she is sure.

“Are you sure, Lee? I don’t mind waiting a bit more if you want to keep looking,” Fatin says, and Leah quirks a brow, a grin playing at her lips.

“I’m sure Fatin. I don’t want you to pay for hundreds of dollars worth of books. Libraries exist for a reason.”

Fatin continues to frown but nods, knowing Leah hates having to depend on her for money. Hopefully, this store will hire her. She knows Leah is desperate to be independent after weeks of having nothing of her own. They will have to go to the bank to get her a new account since her parents took her cards away. Fatin files that thought away for another day.

“Okay, then let’s head to the cash so we can pay for these and get you that application,” Fatin says, and Leah grins.

“Follow me, kids,” Dot says, not waiting for them as she begins to fast walk to the cash register, and when they reach the counter, Fatin takes Leah’s books and sets them on the counter to pay so Leah can fill out the application a couple of feet away with Dot pointing out certain things on the form.

“Is this everything?” The cashier asks, and Fatin is quick to return her focus to her task at hand, nodding.

“Yes, thank you.”

“Alrighty, that will be thirty-two-fifty,” The older man says, and Fatin holds up her credit card.

“On credit, please.”

“Ready whenever you are,” He says with a smile, and Fatin is quick to swipe her card. “Is that your friend filling out an application?” 

Fatin looks up in surprise and nods before they turn their attention to Leah as she concentrates on the form.

“I’ve been impatiently waiting to fill the position. The store is busy this time of year with all these tourists starting to come in. You’d think it is summer already. Not that I’m complaining it pays my bills,” He says with a chuckle.

“Well, it’s California, isn’t it summer all the time compared to the rest of the country?” She asks with a teasing grin on her lips, and he chuckles.

“Fair. You two in a hurry to get anywhere? If she is interested, we could do the interview now.”

Fatin’s eyes widen, and she immediately shakes her head.

“Nope. Nowhere to be,” She says quickly, and he grins.

“Alright then.”

Fatin heads towards Leah, the owner crossing the distance behind the counter in long strides until he is standing across from them. 

“Good afternoon, Miss. I’m Tim Campell, the owner, and I’d like to know if you would be interested in doing a quick interview before heading out? Of course, no pressure, I know this is unexpected,” He says with a comforting smile, and Leah gapes at him for a long second before clearing her throat and shaking her head. 

“No, that’s perfect, thank you. Um, I only have one reference. Is that okay? It says to list three, but I’ve only had one job previously and-”

Tim waves his hand. “Ah, just a formality. If anything, I’ll just ask your friend here about your character if I need it. But I’m sure I won’t. Now, if you are ready, we can head to the backroom to begin?”

Leah nods quickly and glances towards Fatin. “You okay to wait?” 

“More than okay. I’ll bug Dot while I wait,” Fatin jokes, and Leah chuckles.

“Yes, please do. Make my daughter earn her wage,” Tim says with a warm smile, and Fatin’s eyes widen.

“Oh shit, you’re Dot’s dad?” 

Tim chuckles and nods. “You bet. Now we won’t be long. Feel free to grab a coffee; it’s on the house. Tell Dottie I told you so.”

Fatin grins and salutes him, pulling another chuckle from him and then Leah and Tim are heading to the back of the store and Fatin all but skips towards the cute cafe attached. 

The line is short, and when she reaches the counter Dot is there looking bored. 

“Heya Dottie. Hit me up with that large chocolate cookie crumble frappuccino, would you? Your dad said it’s on the house,” Fatin says, with a smirk, and Dot stares up at her in annoyance.

“He did not.”

“Oh, but he did, right before he took Leah back for an interview. So, hook me up, oh and also a peppermint hot chocolate too. I’ll pay for that one since I’m assuming your dad only meant my coffee was on the house.”

Dot rolls her eyes. “Wouldn’t have pegged you for a chocolate frap kind of girl, Jadmani. Not to mention someone who would be so fucking whipped when not even in a relationship.”

The smirk on Dot’s lips has Fatin narrowing her eyes, and she leans close. “Chocolate is delicious, Campbell. And so is Leah. If you haven’t noticed, she’s a goddamn snack,” She says, and Dot chokes on her laughter.

“Oh my god,” Dot snickers and Fatin smirks. “Just for that, I’m making both drinks on the house.”

Fatin stands up straight in satisfaction and steps off to the side to wait for Dot to whip up the drinks. She lets her eyes roam over the store and the few people wandering through the stacks of books and waiting in line. When her eyes fall on the two cashiers working, Fatin’s eyes widen in disbelief.

“No fucking way,” She mutters, and Dot places the drinks on the counter, following her gaze.

“What?” Dot asks, and Fatin turns back to face her.

“Shelby Goodkind works here too?” Fatin asks in disbelief, and Dot chuckles.

“Yeah. For the past two years. And that’s Nora Reid next to her. Rachel Reid’s twin sister. She’s been working here since freshman year. I think she and Leah will get along great. They are both nerds when it comes to literature. Shelby is also great. Very friendly. It’s no wonder she won over Toni.”

“Huh,” Fatin murmurs, glancing back at the pair. “How long has your dad owned the shop?” She asks, peering at Dot. 

Dot shrugs and grabs a cloth to wipe the counter. “Since I was five. My mom left it to him when she passed. Of course, he got sick a few years ago, as you know, and I had to step up and take over for a while, but now that he is cancer-free, he’s finally able to work again. He’s a lot happier. He likes to work and spend time with the customers. I swear it’s because of his connections to the regulars that the store is still in business. A few anonymous donations throughout the years helped us out with his hospital bills and stuff. Everyone loves him and wanted to make sure the store stayed afloat.”

“Wow. I’m happy for you and your dad,” Fatin says sincerely, and Dot sends her a small smile.

“Thanks.”

“Fatin!” 

Fatin looks up sharply when she hears Leah calling her name, quietly, so not to disturb the customers, and when she sees the giant smile on Leah’s face as she fast walks towards her, she immediately knows Leah got the job.

“I’m officially hired. I start Saturday!” Leah says excitedly and Fatin beams, tugging Leah into a tight hug when she reaches her.

“That’s amazing, Lee. I’m proud of you. And because I knew you would get the job, I so graciously got you a gift,” Fatin says and releases Leah so she can grab the hot chocolate.

Leah laughs and takes the cup, wrapping both hands around it. “You capitalized on that freebie Tim gave you, I see,” She says, and Fatin smirks.

“Free shit is good shit, Rilke.”

“For a rich girl, she is cheap as hell,” Dot says flatly, and Leah snickers.

Fatin scoffs and grabs her own beverage, exaggerating her movements as she holds Dot’s gaze as she takes a long sip, her eyes narrowed. “We will be going now, Campbell. Thanks for the drink and the sass, but Miss Leah now needs some bank cards.”

Dot sends her a grin before nodding to them both. “See you later. I look forward to working with you, Leah.”

“You too, Dot. I’ll see you Saturday.”

“See you then, Rilke.”


	6. month two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fatin and Leah head to a party. Fluff ensues.
> 
> This is somewhat of a filler chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the love! I appreciate you all and am so glad you are enjoying this story.

Before Leah realizes it, two months have passed since running into Fatin that fateful night and precisely one month since she began working at the bookshop. Every free hour she has, she makes sure to fill with work, and it’s not until today that Leah realizes how little time she has been spending with Fatin lately. It’s her first day off in weeks, and she is exhausted. She wants to sleep, but she promised Fatin and Toni that she would go with them to the party that a girl is throwing for the basketball team to celebrate their winning streak.

So she forces herself to get off her bed and pull on an acceptable party outfit. She decides on a pair of faded light blue skinny jeans that have rips in the knees, a loose black tank top that shows off a decent amount of cleavage and finishes the look off with the green army jacket Fatin had bought her the first shopping trip Rana took them on. 

Leah decides to curl her hair and add a little mascara and clear lip gloss to her lips before pulling on a pair of black combat boots.

By the time she finishes, Fatin is banging on her bedroom door. “Let’s go, Rilke! I need to get my drink on already. If you have fallen asleep, I will kill you!”

Leah rolls her eyes and yanks her door open, causing Fatin to stumble as she was leaning on it. She reaches out to stop Fatin from crashing into her with a hand to her chest. For a moment, Fatin’s eyes are wide in surprise, and then they both seem to realize where Leah’s hand is resting, and she immediately yanks it back while Fatin smirks.

“Getting handsy already, I like it.”

Leah shoves her, and Fatin laughs loudly before she grabs Leah by the hand and yanks her out of the room and through the house until they reach the garage.

“My mom is driving us so we both can drink,” Fatin says with a wide grin, and Leah raises her brows in surprise.

“She is condoning underage drinking?” She asks, and Fatin rolls her eyes.

“She knows we will do it with or without her knowledge, so she would rather make sure we are safe while doing so.”

“That’s fair,” Leah murmurs before she slips into the back seat while Fatin climbs into the front. 

Leah closes her eyes and releases a long breath, preparing herself for the long night.

“Hey, we don’t have to go if you are tired, you know that, right?” Fatin says quietly, and Leah opens her eyes, finding Fatin has twisted around in her seat to peer back at her.

“I know, but I want to. I need a night out. And I know you miss parties.”

“Lee, if I missed parties so much, I would have been going every weekend over the past couple of months. I like spending my time with you more. So if you want to have a chill night in, you don’t have to go. We can have a movie night or something,” Fatin says, and Leah sends her a smile.

“That’s sweet, but I’m sure I want to go. However, I’ll make you a deal. When we come back, we watch a movie together and get a bunch of snacks to go with it.”

Fatin brightens and immediately nods. “Deal. And if you want to come home at any time, just say the word, and we will. I don’t care.”

Leah nods, and Fatin sends her a wide grin just before Rana climbs into the driver’s seat, interrupting their moment.

“Alright girls, what’s the address?”

//

Leah is wasted, and Fatin is both highly amused and concerned as Leah spins around on the dance floor without a care. The whole night Fatin has made sure to keep her alcohol intake to a minimum once she noticed Leah drinking without slowing down. 

She’s not sure how much Leah has had, but it’s enough to have her practically grinding on a random football player, and Fatin doesn’t like it one bit. If Leah is going to grind on someone, she wants it to be her. Glaring at the guy’s hands roaming Leah’s hips, Fatin chugs the rest of her drink and tosses the solo cup on the floor before stalking towards Leah.

With a well-placed nudge of a hip, Fatin manages to dislodge the guy from Leah’s back and grab her hand, twirling her around, so they are face to face. 

Leah’s skin is flushed and coated in a thin sheen of sweat, her eyes glazed, but when she recognizes Fatin, a dopey grin spreads across her face.

“Fatin! Where have you been? I missed you.”

Fatin’s heart skips a beat when Leah sways forward, pressing their foreheads together and as if they have a mind of their own, her arms slip around Leah’s waist, pulling her closer. 

“I missed you too, Lee. How are you feeling? You’ve had quite a bit to drink,” She says, and Leah pouts, slinging her arms over Fatin’s shoulders.

“I’m hot. And thirsty, and the room is definitely spinning,” Leah slurs and Fatin chuckles, rubbing Leah’s back gently.

“Let’s get you outside so you can cool off. I’ll grab you a bottle of water too.”

“Can you get me chips too?” 

Fatin grins and reaches up to tuck a strand of Leah’s hair behind her ear. “Of course.”

“You’re too sweet,” Leah mumbles, her head slipping into the crook of Fatin’s neck as they head for the kitchen. 

It’s a struggle, but Fatin manages to keep Leah upright as she shoves through the crowd. They run into Toni and Shelby in the kitchen, the couple so wrapped up in each other that they don’t notice until Leah groans, causing them to spring apart in surprise.

“Why the fuck are you two so cute?” She grumbles, stumbling away from Fatin to reach the fridge that Toni had Shelby pressed up against seconds ago. Fatin snickers when Shelby blushes a dark red and quickly wipes her mouth while Toni smirks and saunters over to the snacks spread out on one of the counters. 

“Sorry, Rilke, but have you seen my girlfriend? How can I keep my hands off her?” Toni says around a mouthful of Doritos, and Shelby smacks her arm, but she has a pleased smile on her face and wraps her arms around Toni’s shoulders from behind, resting her chin on her head.

“I’d word it differently, but essentially that is how I feel about my girlfriend as well,” Shelby says with a grin and Leah sighs, turning away from the fridge now with a bottle of water in her hand. 

“Honestly, fair,” She mutters, frowning as she twists the cap of the bottle only for it not to budge. Fatin bites back a grin as she watches Leah grow more frustrated, and when she glances towards Toni and Shelby, they are just as amused by the sight.

After a long minute, Leah finally huffs and jerks her arm towards Fatin, pleading with her eyes and Fatin can only chuckle and take the water from her twisting the cap off with ease.

“Show off,” Leah grumbles before taking the bottle back and taking a long gulp. Fatin rolls her eyes and moves to lean against the fridge, so she is once again sharing the same space with Leah.

Toni catches her gaze and quirks a brow, her lips pulling up into that knowing smirk she has been sending her for the past month whenever Fatin gets a little too comfortable around Leah.

She sends her a glare, and Toni’s smirk widens before she hides it with her cup, taking a sip from her drink. Shelby seems to catch the interaction because she sends Fatin a quizzical look that falls to Leah, who shifts, resting her head on Fatin’s shoulder.

Understanding dawns on Shelby’s face and Fatin braces herself for the girl to blurt something out that will make Leah suspicious, but she only smiles to herself and buries her face in Toni’s hair. 

“Fatin,” Leah whispers, tugging on Fatin’s shirt like a child trying to gain a parent’s attention. “I’m sleepy.”

Immediately Fatin’s attention is on Leah, her features softening as she looks down, meeting her favourite blue eyes. “Yeah? Are you ready to head home? I can text my mom, and she will be here in ten minutes.”

Leah hums and pushes her nose into Fatin’s neck, her arms wrapping around Fatin’s hips. She waits for Leah to say more, but after a few seconds of silence, she chuckles and tugs her phone out of her back pocket.

“Can we get McDonald’s on the way?” Leah mumbles, and Fatin nods in response, not taking her focus off her phone as she quickly types out her message.

“Nuggets, fries and a coke?” Fatin asks, already knowing the answer, but Leah nods anyway.

“And a big mac.”

Fatin pauses her typing to peer down at Leah in surprise. 

“A big mac? You sure you’re going to eat all that?” She asks, and Leah’s head pops up suddenly, her brows furrowed.

“Is that a challenge, Jadmani?”

Fatin’s brows raise, and then she chuckles, slipping her arm around Leah’s shoulders. “No, Rilke, just making sure you are actually that hungry or just drunk.”

“I’m both,” Leah says bluntly, and Fatin grins.

“Alright then. I’ll add a big mac to your order. Anything else, Princess?” Fatin teases, and Leah pauses, actually considering it.

“A Mcflurry. The oreo one. But with lots of caramel.”

Fatin rolls her eyes but sends a second text telling her mom to add that and the big mac to their order. Her phone dings with her mother’s reply of the thumb up emoji, causing her to smirk. Her mom loves her emojis. 

“Mom will pick up the food before coming to get us,” Fatin tells Leah, who perks up immediately, a wide grin spreading across her face.

“I love your mom; you know that? She’s the best. I wish she were my mom,” Leah says, and Toni coughs to cover a laugh.

When Fatin glances her way, she finds Shelby smirking and Toni looking incredibly pleased. “Something you want to share with the class, Goodkind?” Fatin asks, sarcasm dripping from every word, and Shelby grins.

“I don’t think it’s something you’d want me to repeat in front of our current company.”

Fatin’s eyes widen, and she quickly looks down at Leah to gauge her reaction, but her worry is for nothing. Leah has her phone out and is immersing herself in a game of candy crush. Who the hell still plays candy crush? Fatin wonders, but she doesn’t complain. As long as Leah didn’t hear anything Shelby said, it’s okay.

“Gay,” Toni mutters, and Fatin immediately sends her a glare, earning her two innocent grins from the couple.

“You two suck,” Fatin mutters, and Leah hums in agreement, startling them.

“Excuse you?” Toni asks, affronted and Leah snickers when she looks up from her phone.

“What?”

“We do not suck,” Toni demands, and Leah grins.

“Sure.”

“We don’t.”

“Okay.” 

Fatin chuckles, knowing what Leah is doing. She learned early on into the pair’s new friendship that Toni and Leah live to rile each other up, and for Leah, the fastest way to get Toni going is to agree with her on everything when it’s clear she doesn’t believe in whatever Toni has said.

“I’ll fight you, Rilke,” Toni threatens, but there is no heat behind it, earning a laugh from Leah.

“Bring it, Shalifoe. If I remember correctly, I handed you your ass last time.”

Fatin and Shelby share an exasperated look and shake their heads when Toni and Leah step forward, looking ready to wrestle right there in the middle of the kitchen. The last time this happened, it was at Fatin’s house when the four of them were hanging out after school. Toni and Leah had gotten into a petty argument over who could hold a handstand the longest, and when Leah won, Toni tackled her to the grass. The wrestling match that ensued had been hilarious to watch, and when Leah had pinned Toni only after a few minutes, everyone had been surprised. 

And usually, Fatin wouldn’t care and cheer Leah on, but they are drunk, and she doesn’t need one of them cracking their skulls open on a countertop.

“Alright, Bruce Lee, take it down a notch,” Fatin says, tugging Leah back into her by her jacket, and Leah pouts but doesn’t resist while Shelby does the same with Toni.

“I want a rematch, Rilke,” Toni says, and Leah shrugs.

“Fine.”

“This rematch will not be happening tonight,” Shelby says, and the two girls grumble but nod.

Fatin’s phone dings again, and when she opens the new message, she grins.

“Mom is here, and she got our food,” She says, and Leah gasps, whipping around to face Fatin, a wide grin on her face.

“Oh my god, yes. Okay, let's go.” She turns to look over her shoulder at Toni and Shelby. “Bye, guys. I’ll see you at school on Monday.”

“Bye, Leah,” Shelby says with a smile, and Toni nods, waving.

“Bye, dorks.”

Fatin flips her off before taking Leah’s hand and leading her outside where her mom is waiting in the car, parked on the street. Leah bolts for the car, wobbling every few steps but manages to reach the passenger side door and yanks it open.

Rana laughs when Leah tumbles inside and hands her one of the Mcdonald’s bags. “Here is your food honey, I take it you had a good time?” 

Leah nods eagerly and immediately digs into the bag, pulling out a few fries. “It was fun. Thank you for getting us food. You’re awesome.” 

Rana smiles and runs her fingers through Leah’s hair before reaching for the second bag and twisting around to hand it to Fatin as she gets settled in the backseat. “You are welcome. Now you two enjoy your food and try not to throw up in my car,” She says teasingly, and Leah hums.

“Will do.”

When they arrive home Leah is no longer tired, Fatin observes. If anything, the food has sobered her up drastically, and when they head for their bedrooms, Leah tangles their fingers together, pulling Fatin to a stop.

“Are we still watching a movie?” She asks quietly, and Fatin smiles.

“Of course, Lee. I’m just going to change, and I’ll meet you in the living room with the snacks if you are still hungry,” She says, and Leah chuckles.

“Surprisingly, I am still hungry. If there is any candy, that would be great or chips.”

“I’m sure we got some sweets somewhere,” Fatin tells her and Leah nods before releasing Fatin’s hand to head into her room. Fatin takes her cue and continues down the hall to her room and goes through her nightly routine quickly. 

Her hair is now in a messy bun, and replacing her party clothes is a pair of grey sweatpants and a baggy sweatshirt that she had stolen from Leah a couple of weeks ago. She completes the look with a pair of blue fuzzy socks. 

Leah is in the kitchen searching the cupboards when she finally enters, and with a gleeful grin, Fatin runs and slides across the floor on her socks and slams into Leah’s back. 

“Shit,” Leah grunts and Fatin laughs, using Leah's hips to steady herself. She stays pressed against her back and Leah glances over her shoulder in annoyance before her gaze flicks down to Fatin's sweatshirt.

“Is that mine? Dude, I’ve been looking for that,” Leah says, twisting around, so she is face to face with Fatin.

“My bad. But in my defence, it is super comfy, and you let me wear it like two weeks ago when we were hanging out on the beach. Not my fault you didn’t ask for it back,” Fatin says with a cheeky grin, and Leah rolls her eyes.

“Fine. Keep it; I’ll just steal one of yours. Maybe that navy blue hoodie.”

Fatin’s eyes narrow. “My Nike sweatshirt? Girl, you trippin’, I’m not giving you that one.”

Leah grins and tugs at the drawstrings of Fatin’s or, well, her sweater, and asks, “Who said anything about asking?”

Fatin scoffs, but her smile ruins it when Leah taps her nose cutely. “Fine, Lee. Take it. This one is better anyway.”

“It is just my old soccer sweatshirt from freshman year,” Leah says with a frown and Fatin shrugs.

“I still like it more. For one, it’s white, which I appreciate, and two, it’s yours. It’s even got your last name on the back and the number from your jersey. It’s cute.”

Leah’s lips twitch, and she tilts her head as her eyes roam Fatin’s face. “If you say so. Now help me with the snacks. Do you have any movie ideas?” 

“You bet I do,” Fatin boasts, and Leah raises her brows.

“And they are?”

“Shrek. And then Shrek 2.”

Leah blinks and holds Fatin’s serious gaze before bursting into giggles. 

“Alright. Shrek it is.”

Fatin smiles and steps back, allowing Leah to hand her some of the bags of candy she found and leads her to the living room. 

“You wait here, I’ve got an idea,” Fatin says, and Leah nods, moving to sit on the couch while Fatin runs to her room. 

She grabs a bunch of blankets out of her closet and tosses them out into the hall before she drags her mattress off her bed and onto the floor. With more struggling than she’d like to admit, Fatin manages to slide the mattress through the door frame and down the hall using it to push the mountain of blankets as she goes. She grunts as she shoves it over, so it lands flat when she reaches the living room, startling Leah. 

“Jesus, what are you doing?” Leah asks, hopping to her feet to help and between the two of them, they manage to move it to the middle of the room, shoving the coffee table off to the side. With the mattress shoved up against the couch, Fatin quickly organizes all the pillows, so they rest against the sofa like a mini headboard. Content with her work, she plops down, dragging the blankets up and patting the space next to her for Leah.

“Okay, now we can watch the movie,” Fatin says with a sigh and Leah chuckles but reclines next to her, wrapping herself in one of the comforters before placing the snacks in their laps. 

Fatin turns on the t.v. making sure to keep the volume low. Leah shuffles closer and curls into Fatin’s side once Shrek begins to play and Fatin wraps her arm around Leah’s back with a small smile, resting her cheek on top of her head.

She makes it through the first movie, both she and Leah enjoying the candy, but when the second one begins, she remembers her eyes drooping and Leah’s weight pressing further into her; the cand long gone. 

So when she wakes to Leah entirely on top of her and Arry’s face a centimetre away, she nearly jumps out of her skin. “Jesus, Arry, what are you doing?” She rasps, rubbing at her eyes, and he grins.

“Mama said to wake you and LeeLee up. Breakfast is ready.”

Fatin groans but nods. “Okay, we will be there in a few minutes.”

“Okay!” He says excitedly and scrambles off the mattress, jostling her and Leah, who grumbles and lifts her head slightly.

“What? Was that Arry?” Leah asks, voice gravelly and Fatin hums.

“Breakfast is ready.”

“That sounds so good right now,” Leah sighs, and Fatin chuckles.

“You are a garbage disposal, I swear to god.” 

“That is so rude.”

“You’ll get over it, Rilke. Now get off me. I want some pancakes,” Fatin says, and Leah lifts herself, bracing her hands next to Fatin’s head, her lips quirking up in a playful smirk.

“Don’t lie; you are enjoying being topped by me.”

Fatin’s mouth drops open, and Leah laughs loudly before rolling off and running towards the kitchen.

“Fuck,” Fatin mutters, forcing herself into a sitting position. “That girl will be the death of me.”


	7. month three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beach day with the girls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyooo, thank you guys for all the love! You're amazing and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Leah is starting to realize she sleeps best when in Fatin’s arms, which is the most frustrating thing ever because she doesn’t want to depend on Fatin to get a good night’s rest. But this is the third night in a row she has been lying wide awake, unable to fall asleep, and she has work in the morning. 

So with a groan, she whips the covers off her and silently pads out into the hall and next door to Fatin’s room. After a second of hesitation, she knocks quietly and holds her breath, half of her hoping Fatin doesn’t hear her and is fast asleep so she can avoid this embarrassment, but the other half is begging for her to be awake and to hold her so Leah can finally sleep. 

The door swings open suddenly, and Leah is jolted out of her thoughts, her eyes immediately locking on Fatin’s concerned face.

“Lee? You okay?” Fatin asks quietly, and Leah nods before remembering that no, she’s not, and immediately begins to shake her head instead. Fatin frowns but doesn’t ask anything more; instead, she steps aside and waves for Leah to enter.

“I can’t sleep,” Leah blurts when she hears the door close and keeps her back to Fatin. 

It’s quiet for a moment, and then she hears Fatin’s feet shuffling across the floor until she stands right in front of Leah. “Funny you should say that because I can’t either,” Fatin murmurs and Leah’s eyes widen in surprise. 

“I haven’t slept in three days. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. My mind won’t shut off, and I am so fucking tired, but my body won’t just let me sleep. I am desperate, and I have work in the morning, and I know when I fell asleep with you those two times before, I slept better than ever. It’s been weeks since then, and I have been fine, but this week is not good, and I just- I know this is a lot to ask, but can I maybe stay in here tonight? With you,” Leah says in a rush and Fatin’s eyes soften as she reaches out to tug Leah’s hand away from her eyebrow.

Leah blinks and looks down at her fingers; she hadn’t even realized she had been picking at it. 

“Of course you can, Lee. I kind of feel the same. I sleep through the night when you are with me. So I guess it’s a win-win situation for us both, huh?” Fatin says with a teasing smile, and Leah’s lips quirk.

“Thank you. I’m just going to grab my phone, so I have my alarm.”

Fatin nods, and Leah is quick to run out to her bedroom and grab her phone off the nightstand. When she returns, Fatin is already in her bed waiting, half the covers drawn back for Leah.

Leah plugs her phone in before practically diving under the covers with Fatin. She slides towards the middle and, with a long breath, relaxes into Fatin’s waiting embrace. Like always, she curls up, facing Fatin, so her head is on her chest, giving her the ability to listen to Fatin’s strong and steady heartbeat. 

Fatin pulls the covers over them, and Leah closes her eyes, sinking into the warmth that surrounds her. Her lips twitch when Fatin presses a sweet kiss to her hair and whispers, “Sleep tight, Lee.”

Leah slips her arm around Fatin’s back in return and holds her tight as her eyelids begin to droop. The last thing she is aware of is Fatin running her fingers up and down her spine.

Leah’s alarm goes off too soon, and she whines as she reaches out blindly to smack the snooze button on her phone. After a long five seconds, she manages to hit it and immediately slumps back into the cocoon of warmth. 

Fatin hums in her sleep and twists, rolling onto her back and dragging Leah along since her arms are locked tight around her back. Leah snickers quietly but lets herself be moved, closing her eyes once more, now entirely on top of Fatin.

The next time she wakes, it is to her phone ringing, and Leah immediately bolts upright, scrambling for her phone. Is she late? No, her second alarm couldn’t have gone off; Leah would have heard it. When she manages to escape Fatin’s embrace with her phone in hand, she notices the time and sighs in relief when she isn’t late, but it is Dot calling.

“Hello?” Leah answers and Dot is quick to get to the point of the phone call.

“Shop won’t be open today. There’s an electrical issue leaving us without power, so don’t bother coming in. We should be back in working order tomorrow, but if not, I’ll let you know by six tonight.”

Leah’s eyes widen, and she immediately sags in relief. This outage could not have come at a better time. She needs more sleep. “Oh, okay, thanks for letting me know,” She says and Dot hums.

“Have a good day Rilke, I gotta call the others,” Dot says, and Leah nods unconsciously.

“You too, Dot.”

Dot hangs up immediately, and Leah chuckles before tossing her phone back onto the nightstand and flops onto the bed, rolling onto her right side. Fatin is awake and facing her, looking adorably bedraggled and groggy.

“Who was that?” Fatin asks, voice rough with sleep, and Leah sends her a smile.

“Dot. She was calling to tell me we have the day off. No power at the shop.”

Fatin blinks a few times as she processes what Leah has said, and then a slow smile spreads across her face. “So what I’m hearing is we get to sleep in?”

Leah laughs but nods, sliding closer to Fatin until they are against each other; Fatin’s arms automatically wrap her up in an embrace. “Yes, it means we can sleep in.”

“Awesome,” Fatin mumbles, her body already relaxing, sinking heavily into the mattress, and Leah smiles to herself as she buries her face into the crook of Fatin’s neck, allowing her slow breathing to lull her back to sleep.

//

Whispered voices pull Leah from her unconscious state slowly, and she frowns when she recognizes them. 

“I’m gonna do it,” Someone whispers eagerly, almost as if they are above her.

“Don’t you dare,” A second voice hisses, and Leah catches the southern drawl immediately. 

Her eyes fly open and what she sees has her body reacting instinctively. Her fist flies out, and Toni curses, jerking her head to the side just in time to avoid the blow.

“Fuck Rilke,” Toni says, looking startled, and Leah releases a long breath, calming her pounding heart as she watches Toni climb off the bed with the pillow she was going to hit her with.

“Maybe don’t fucking sneak up on people in their sleep Shalifoe,” Leah fires back, pushing herself up into a seated position, only just noticing Fatin is not in the room. 

She frowns and looks around quickly before her eyes settle on the closed bathroom door. The distant sound of water running tells Leah Fatin is showering. Does she know about their surprise guests?

“So you and Fatin, huh?” Toni says with a mischievous grin, even going as far as wiggling her eyebrows, and Leah frowns.

“What?” 

“Dude, you’re in her bed,” Toni says bluntly, and Leah’s frown only deepens.

“To sleep. I’ve been struggling for a few days and asked Fatin if I could stay here with her last night,” Leah says slowly, and Toni’s eyes widen, looking like a deer caught in headlights, and Leah studies her warily.

“Oh, yeah. Okay, that totally makes sense,” Toni says quickly, and Leah opens her mouth to reply when the bathroom door swings open and Fatin saunters in wrapped in only a towel. 

Toni chokes on her breath, and Fatin freezes when she sees Toni and Shelby standing in the middle of her room. “Uh, what the fuck are you bitches doing here?” She asks, and Shelby steps in before Toni can make any type of comment on Fatin’s state of undress.

“We figured we would come and see if you guys wanted to hang out today since Leah and I don’t have to work. Your mom let us in and said you guys were in here.”

Fatin glances towards Leah, who shrugs, and after a long moment of staring between the two, Fatin sighs. 

“Fine. Let me get dressed, and no, Toni, you are not invited to watch,” Fatin says as she heads for her closet and Leah snickers when Toni’s mouth clicks shut, her shoulders slumping earring a flick to the ear from Shelby. 

Leah gets out of bed, grabs her phone, checking the time and notices it earlier than she expected. It’s only nine o’clock, two hours since Dot called. She waves for Shelby and Toni to follow her out of the room, making sure to shut Fatin’s door before heading to her room to change.

“So what did you guys want to do?” Leah asks as Shelby and Toni sit on the end of her bed, watching her rummage through her dresser for an outfit.

“We were thinking maybe a day trip to Santa Cruz to hang out at the boardwalk. We asked the other girls, and they are in. You two are the last to RSVP,” Shelby says with a bright smile and Leah chuckles, nodding.

“That sounds nice.”

“What sounds nice?” Fatin asks as she barges into the room, fully dressed, and Toni is quick to reply.

“A road trip to Santa Cruz for awesome food and some beach fun. You in Jadmani?”

“Food and a day full of sunshine? You bet your ass I’m in,” Fatin says with an excited grin, and Leah smiles to herself as she shuts the drawers, clothes in hand. 

“I’m going to change, and then we can pack the essentials,” Leah tells them and they all nod.

//

Rana helps pack snacks, drinks, and sandwiches for everyone. Fatin takes care of the beach gear while Leah is in charge of creating a music playlist for the road. 

Shelby’s father lends them his eight-seater SUV, so they don’t have to take two cars and by ten o’clock, everyone is piled into the car and on their way to Santa Cruz. 

Fatin and Leah are in the back with Dot, while Nora, Martha and Rachel are in the middle bench with Shelby driving and Toni in the passenger seat. 

Using the Bluetooth system, Leah controls the music from her phone, and for three hours, the girls sing along to the songs she picked. 

When they pull up to the beach, Toni and Rachel are the first to exit, both of them sprinting for the water, leaving the rest of them to grab the gear and cooler.

“Such a chivalrous girlfriend I have,” Shelby says sarcastically as she and Leah lift the cooler out of the back and everyone laughs.

“I mean, if you’re ever looking for a replacement,” Fatin says suggestively, sliding up next to Shelby, knocking their hips together, pulling another round of laughter from the girls and an amused eye roll from Leah. 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Shelby says with a smile and Fatin winks before moving to shoulder a couple of the bags and lawn chairs. 

“Rachel is probably scouting for a good spot,” Nora states confidently, and Leah sends her a soft smile.

“She does seem to be a very tactical person. Hopefully, she finds a nice place,” Martha says, and Nora nods.

“Yes. Once Rach finds a spot, she will make Toni sit there and come back to help us.”

As soon as the words leave Nora’s mouth, they catch sight of Rachel jogging back and Leah shares an impressed look with Dot and Fatin. Nora looks smug as she hands Rachel a couple of chairs.

“I told them you got us a good spot,” She says, and Rachel grins at her sister.

“I did. It’s perfect. There is enough space for the canopy so you’ll have shade while you read, plus there are surprisingly not too many people. It’s also near a shortcut that leads to the boardwalk,” Rachel says, and Dot pats her on the back as she passes.

“Good work Reid. Now let's get down there with all this crap before Toni wanders off or drowns.”

Leah grins and grabs one end of the cooler, while Fatin grabs the other side, pulling her sunglasses down. “Man, I can’t wait to just lie on a towel and tan my ass off. Maybe buy a cute hat at the boardwalk and some ice cream,” She says, and Leah hums, tugging her baseball cap down low over her eyes as they reach the white sand.

“I’ll probably be staying in the shade with Nora and reading,” Leah says, and Nora glances back at her with a broad smile, looking pleased that she will have company. 

“Of course you will. You’re such a nerd, Rilke. And I mean that in the most respectable way possible,” Fatin teases, earning a playful glare from Leah.

“If it weren’t for this nerd, you would be failing calculus still. And English, and chemistry, and Spanish.”

“Okay, okay!” Fatin shouts, laughing, and Leah smirks. “I get it. I’d be lost without you and that giant brain of yours. I apologize for calling you a nerd.”

“Thank you and apology accepted. Now hurry up, Jadmani, this cooler is heavy as fuck,” Leah says with a grimace, and Fatin nods in agreement, immediately picking up the pace, and within the next minute, they have reached the girls who are just laying their towels on the sand. Leah lets her side drop immediately, and Fatin grunts with the unexpected weight, scowling up at Leah, who sends her an innocent grin before quickly heading towards Nora. 

With Martha’s help, the pair get the canopy up in no time and settle under it with their respective books. Leah is lying on the long lounge chair Fatin brought while Nora sits on her towel looking content with her knees pulled up to her chest and the book resting on her feet. 

Toni, Rachel, Dot and Martha are all in the water throwing a football while Shelby joined Fatin in the sun to work on her tan. 

Leah doesn’t know how long she has been reading, but a poke to her shoulder startles her. She looks up to find Fatin standing next to her.

“I’m heading to the boardwalk if you’d like to join. I’m going to look at the booths and get ice cream.”

Leah smiles and quickly notes the page number in her book before closing it and tossing it aside. Fatin pulls on a white wrap over her orange bikini and links her arm through Leah’s, pulling her along with more enthusiasm than Leah expected.

“You’re excited about ice cream, aren’t you?” Leah says with a chuckle, and Fatin sends her a grin.

“You would think, but no. I’m just happy today. I’ve needed a day away just to relax, and spending it with my girls just makes it even better. You make it better. I’ve missed you lately.”

Leah’s features soften, and she presses closer to Fatin as they walk up a flight of wooden steps reaching the boardwalk. “I have been swamped lately. I’m sorry. I’ve missed hanging out with you too.”

“No apologizing Rilke, I’m not blaming you for anything, just stating a fact. I know working is important to you, and so is school; I guess I’ve just been used to having you all to myself that I find I have more time on my hands than I would like. I get bored easily,” Fatin says, and Leah sends her a soft smile.

“I know. But on the bright side, we graduate in a month,” Leah offers, and Fatin nods slowly.

“That is true. But also scary. I don’t know what I’m going to do after. You’re probably going off to a fancy school to get a dope master’s degree, and I’m going to be the loser still living at home.”

“Fatin,” Leah whispers, tugging her to a stop and waits for Fatin to meet her gaze before continuing. “I am not going anywhere. I can’t afford to just yet. If anything, I’ll end up taking a couple of courses online. I’m going to work for a year and hopefully save enough to pay a quarter of college’s cost, but the rest will have to be loans or scholarships. And as for you, you don’t have to have anything figured out. You have time; we both do. We aren’t even eighteen yet. You will find your passion, and you will be amazing at whatever you choose. So if anything, we can be losers together who still live at home.”

Fatin swallows roughly and nods, holding Leah’s gaze for a moment before looking down at her feet. “I was supposed to go to Julliard, you know? My whole life, I have worked my ass off to be the best cellist, and now it’s like I don’t even have anything I’m passionate about anymore. My dad was my biggest fan, and with his praise, I felt like I could do anything, but then he fucked us over and said shit that I took to heart. After everything, it’s like the motivation I had for anything just left with him. Half the time, I think I should just stick it out and continue with the original plan and apply to Julliard because it’s a waste of all that effort I put in not to go, and then the other half I don’t even want to touch the cello again. He tainted it for me.”

Leah chews on her bottom lip as she studies Fatin’s vulnerable state. She rarely sees this side of her, and when she does, she isn’t sure how to help. “I don’t know what your dad did, Fatin, but if he can choose to leave you and your family, he is not worth agonizing over. You guys are so amazing, and precious and you should never feel as if you are not enough. We both know if you wanted Julliard, you would already be accepted. But deciding your future should never be easy. It’s scary, and you need to think it through thoroughly because if you let yourself be impulsive, shit will most likely not work out how you imagined. So don’t rush this, Fatin. You don’t want to regret your choice five years down the road and look back, wishing you waited and were patient with yourself. You have the opportunity to explore anything and everything to find something that interests you. Don’t settle.”

“How the fuck are you so good with words?” Fatin grumbles, but Leah catches the way her shoulders relax, and the spark returns to her eyes. She looks like a weight has lifted, and Leah feels proud of herself for being the one to help her. 

“Probably has something to do with all the reading I do. I’m a nerd, didn’t you know?” Leah teases, and Fatin laughs.

“Oh, so only you can say the N-word?” 

Leah bites back a laugh and jabs Fatin’s shoulder. “Don’t call it that. And yes. Only I can call myself a nerd. Now, let's get you a hat, dork.”

“Whoa, whoa, no need for name-calling,” Fatin says, and Leah laughs, tossing an arm over her shoulders leading them to the first stall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beach day continues in the next chapter which I am working on right now, so it should be up by tomorrow!


	8. month three pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beach day continued.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long one kids!
> 
> I hope you enjoy and thank you for all your lovely comments and kudos :)

Fatin’s mood increases tremendously after her talk with Leah. They ended up getting matching yellow bucket hats with Santa Cruz boardwalk scrawled across in blue writing with a cute wave drawn underneath.

Next, Leah bought them ice cream and held Fatin’s hand as they walked down the boardwalk as they ate. Fatin couldn’t pull her gaze away from Leah the entire time, not wanting to miss a single smile that crossed the girl’s face or the intrigue when she would notice a particular stall. Before she knows it, Leah is leading her towards a store that sells skateboards. She is stunned when Leah immediately picks one off the rack and examines it thoughtfully before walking up to the shop owner. 

Fatin can only stare as he smiles broadly and rings up her purchase, tossing a black snapback hat with the store logo into a bag along with what seems to be a small tool kit, after handing Leah the board.

“On the house,” He says with a grin and Leah’s eyes widen.

“Seriously?”

“Definitely. You bought the board I’ve been trying to sell for months. I think you deserve a little extra for it.”

Leah beams and says her thanks before skipping over to Fatin.

“So you’re a skater,” Fatin says, a dumbfounded look on her face and Leah chuckles.

“Yes.”

“That’s hot.”

Leah laughs loudly, and Fatin grins. She likes when she is the one who makes Leah laugh.

“Come on, Jadmani, we should get back to the beach,” Leah says before dropping her new board on the ground and hopping onto it like it’s nothing. She pushes off with one foot, and Fatin has to jog after her when she begins to roll away.

“Wait up, Rilke!” She calls, and Leah looks over her shoulder, grinning broadly.

“Knees to chest, Jadmani!”

Fatin sends her a glare and picks up the pace, and after a few seconds of dodging tourists, she manages to catch up to Leah, who stops and kicks her skateboard up.

“I’ve got an idea,” Leah says when Fatin reaches her, and immediately Fatin doesn’t like the wicked look in her eyes.

“Oh fuck no,” She says abruptly, already backing away before Leah can say more, but Fatin knows her, and her ideas are always terrible.

“Oh, come on, Fatin. Please? I’ll make sure you don’t fall. It’s not as scary as it seems, I promise,” Leah pleads, reaching out to catch Fatin’s hand before she can get too far, and Fatin knows she is going to lose this battle. 

She always loses when it comes to Leah and her stupidly blue eyes. “Drop me, and you die, Rilke,” Fatin hisses, and Leah gasps in excitement.

“Oh my god, you’ll try it?”

“Yes, but if you even so much as let your hands slip, I am kicking your ass,” Fatin says, and Leah grins.

“I will keep you safe, I promise. Now come here.”

With some reluctance, Fatin steps closer, and Leah sets her board down. She helps Fatin step on with gentle hands, keeping one foot in front of the back wheels, so it doesn’t move too much, and after a little wobbling on Fatin’s end, she is finally balancing on the board.

“How do you feel?” Leah asks, peering up at Fatin curiously.

“Fine. Let’s just get this over with,” Fatin mutters, and Leah grins but doesn’t comment. She removes her foot, and Fatin’s body tenses when the board rolls forward a little but Leah’s strong hands in hers keep her steady.

“Relax your body, and bend your knees slightly.”

Fatin listens, and slowly Leah begins to pull her along down the sidewalk, people immediately parting around them, which makes Fatin feel a little better. At least she won’t slam into an innocent pedestrian. After a tense minute, Fatin begins to get used to the movement, and her grip on Leah’s hands relaxes some. “You’re doing great, Fatin. Let me know if you want to stop,” Leah says calmly, and Fatin nods.

The wheels hit a sudden bump, and Fatin wobbles, but Leah is quick and reaches out to grip her hip to keep her steady while the other keeps hold of her hands. Fatin releases a relieved breath and sends Leah a grateful smile as they continue.

“Still good?” Leah asks, and Fatin nods.

“We’re almost to the beach.”

Leah glances ahead and smiles when their friends come into view. After another minute, the path they take to their spot appears, and Leah pulls Fatin to a halt. She immediately jumps off and releases a long sigh.

“Oh, thank god, solid ground.”

“You could have gotten off long ago,” Leah says with a laugh, and Fatin scoffs.

“And risk you making fun of me for being a little bitch? I don’t think so. But so that you know, skateboarding will be your hobby and yours alone. I will be that asshole on the sidelines videotaping your failures.”

Leah rolls her eyes and grabs her skateboard before leading Fatin down to the beach. 

“There you guys are!” Dot shouts, throwing her hands up in the air. “We’ve been waiting for you bitches. It’s time to play some four on four volleyball.”

Fatin scrunches her nose up at the insinuation that she is to participate in a sport. She just had to suffer through a short skateboarding lesson. That is as sporty as she gets.

“You are playing,” Leah says before she can even argue, and Fatin looks at her in surprise. “You’ll ruin everyone’s fun by not making the teams even.”

Fatin pouts but nods, and Leah sends her a happy grin before taking her hand and dragging her towards the girls and the volleyball net they set up. 

“I call Leah!” Toni shouts immediately, and Fatin scoffs when Leah looks smug and saunters towards Toni, Nora and Shelby, leaving her to join Dot, Rachel and Martha.

“Alright, huddle up,” Rachel says when Fatin reaches them, and she nearly groans. Rachel will take this way too seriously, and Fatin already knows she’s going to get yelled at for sucking. “Toni and Leah are the strongest on their team. Shelby, though, has the height. So try and avoid her when she’s at the net. Nora is probably the best place to aim; she hates sports.”

“You want us to target your twin sister?” Fatin asks with a raised brow, and Rachel shrugs.

“Yeah, why not? It’s how we will win. But don’t actually like, hurt her or something. I’ll kick your ass.”

Fatin chuckles and shares an amused look with Dot before returning her focus to Rachel. “Got it. Just a heads up, I have never played volleyball before in my life, and I’m not going to start now.”

“Oh man, you’re going to be our Nora,” Dot mutters and Martha giggles.

“It’s okay, Fatin, this is just for fun,” Martha says kindly, and Rachel frowns.

“Tell Coach Reid that,” Fatin snarks, and Rachel flips her off, but the smile tugging at her lips ruins it.

“I know this is just a game guys. But I won’t lie, I do get competitive, and Toni does too, so I’m sure she will rile me up. Just sorry in advance for any rude things I say to you. I don’t mean any of it,” Rachel replies, and Dot pats her shoulder.

“We know Rach. Now it looks like they are ready over there. So any game plan?”

Fatin glances past Dot and Rachel and chokes on her next breath. Leah is in a bikini. Reserved and oversized t-shirt wearing, Leah is sporting a navy blue swimsuit that leaves little to the imagination, and Fatin is so dead. She hadn’t even thought Leah had brought a bathing suit, let alone had been wearing it under her shirt and jean shorts. 

A hand slapping her shoulder startles Fatin out of her staring, and she blinks, clearing her throat before meeting Rachel’s exasperated gaze. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me. Do you have the hots for Rilke? We are so fucking screwed. You’re going to be a drooling mess. Martha, go grab that piece of driftwood; it will be more useful than Fatin at this point.”

Dot releases a loud bark of laughter, and Martha is quick to join in when Fatin’s face flushes bright red.

“Fuck off, Reid. I will gladly sit this one out,” Fatin threatens, and Rachel grimaces.

“Ugh, alright, fine. But seriously, do try and keep the drooling to a minimum. Also, try not to hit the ball; that will be even more embarrassing,” She says, and Fatin rolls her eyes before she walks off to the side and discards her wrap, revealing her orange two-piece.

She hears someone release a loud wolf whistle, and when she looks up, Toni is sending her a smirk.

“Looking hot, Jadmani.”

“I know Shalifoe, but do try and keep it in your pants, will you? Your girlfriend is right there, and you don’t need her leaving you for me because you drew attention to my smokin’ bod. That would be a giant blow to your ego,” Fatin fires back, and Toni laughs loudly while Shelby and Leah share an eye roll.

“Yo!” Rachel calls, gaining Toni and Fatin’s attention. “Game is starting; let’s go.”

“Aye, Aye Captain,” Fatin says with a mock salute and Rachel sighs but only points to the net where she wants Fatin to stand.

“Good luck,” Leah says when Fatin gets into position, the two standing directly across from each other at the net. 

“Pft, I don’t need luck, Rilke. I’ve got Reid. She’s a savage and will no doubt do all the work. I just gotta stand here and look pretty,” Fatin replies with a broad smile and Leah chuckles.

“Let’s hope for your sake that’s all you will need to do.”

“Is that a challenge?” Fatin asks, raising her brows, and Leah smirks.

“If you want it to be.”

“Oh, you’re on Rilke. I’m going to destroy you,” Fatin whispers, and Leah’s smirk only widens.

“We’ll see.”

Fatin is too distracted by how the sunlight is dancing across Leah’s eyes to notice that Rachel has served until Leah is suddenly looking away, twisting to face Toni, who uses her forearms to hit the ball in Leah’s direction. Fatin’s eyes track the muscles rippling in Leah’s legs and back, admiring the view and before she knows it Leah’s stomach is right in her face as she jumps. Fatin trails her eyes up over Leah's chest and neck, too slow to notice the arm swinging down. Leah’s hand smacks the ball and sends it sailing right over Fatin’s head. It lands in the sand behind her, and Fatin winces when she glances over her shoulder and notices the annoyed looks Dot and Rachel are sending her. She looks back at Leah just in time to catch the smug grin.

Well fuck. 

“That’s one, Jadmani. When exactly were you planning on destroying me?” Leah mocks, and Fatin grits her teeth. Even being a dick, Leah is too hot. 

Fatin needs to pull herself together. She will not let Leah win this. She can hit a ball. How hard can it be?

//

It’s fucking hard. Fatin can’t even fathom how people have enough hand-eye coordination to play such a stupid sport. Even Nora is better than her. And to make matters worse, they are losing. Badly. And it’s because of her. She can’t focus when Leah has so much skin showing or keeps sending her those sexy smirks every time she scores a point. 

Rachel has even threatened to toss her in the ocean to cool her off more than once. And now it’s her turn to serve, which is probably the most humiliating part of the whole game. Not once has the ball landed over the net. She has hit Rachel in the back of the head three times, and the rest either end up at her feet because she missed, or it hits the net and falls on their side.

She is getting fed up with the whole game, but she is too stubborn to quit. She needs to hit one ball over the net at least. She doesn’t want to be the only one who can’t. So Fatin takes a deep breath and ignores Toni’s teasing and Leah’s piercing gaze as she gets into position. 

“You got this, Fatin,” Martha says, and Fatin sends her a small smile before returning her focus to the ball held outright in her palm. She takes a step forward with another deep breath and, using an underhand swing, strikes the ball with the heel of her left palm, watching passively as the ball sails through the air. 

Her eyes widen in surprise when it clears the net, and her team cheers as Shelby dives for the ball, barely managing to get a piece of it and then Toni is there setting it up for Nora.

It looks like Nora may not make the spike, but then Leah is swooping in and wrapping her arms around Nora’s thighs and lifting her, giving her the boost she needs to hit the ball over the net. 

Fatin gapes as the ball flies towards Dot, who was too surprised by Leah’s actions to respond in time. 

“No!” Rachel shouts when the ball hits the sand, and Toni whoops from the other side of the net.

“Fuck yes! Take that, Reid! We are the champions; suck it!”

Rachel groans, but she has a smile playing on her lips as she watches the girls swarm Nora in a hug. Fatin sighs but can’t find it in herself to be annoyed with their loss. It was fun playing with her friends if she’s honest, and Nora deserves that winning point. Leah’s play was sneaky but to see the joy on Nora’s face is worth it, and Fatin knows that’s how Rachel is feeling too. Everyone knows she is protective over Nora and only ever wants her to fit in, and today she gets that extra attention. 

As Fatin walks towards the group, Dot meets her and slings an arm over her shoulder. “Even though we lost, I’m glad you got that serve in.”

Fatin laughs. “Me too. I was getting pissed off that I was the only one who hadn’t managed to get a serve over the net.”

“Oh, I could tell. You aren’t great at hiding your anger or desire.” Dot whispers the last word, winking at her, and Fatin scowls, shoving her off, earning a laugh from Dot.

“I’m only going to say this once, Fatin. Either tell the poor girl you are hung up on her or find someone to help you with that pent up frustration. The pining puppy dog act is sickening,” Dot says, keeping her voice low as they reach the other girls, and Fatin grimaces.

“I appreciate the advice Dottie, but neither sounds like something I can do; sorry to disappoint.”

“Wait,” Dot hisses, tugging Fatin back, so they have some privacy. “Have you stopped with the whole hookup thing?”

Fatin swallows hard and shrugs. “Basically, yeah.”

“Holy shit. When did that happen?” Dot asks, looking surprised, making Fatin a little uncomfortable.

“Um, I think like a week before Leah came to live with me.”

“So you haven’t slept with anyone since?” Fatin shakes her head, and Dot’s eyes widen. “Damn, girl.”

“Is it that surprising?” Fatin asks, slightly annoyed that people think she is some sex addict. Dot seems to catch the edge in her tone because her features soften, and she shakes her head.

“No. I mean, well, I was surprised, but I shouldn’t have been. I see how you look at Leah and know you aren’t just into her because she’s hot and you are looking for sex. I guess I’ve been used to the party girl image you project at school. I didn’t mean to upset you; I’m sorry, dude.”

Fatin sighs and sends Dot a small smile. “It’s cool. I know how I acted before Leah came along. I was hurting and wanted to distract myself from things at home, so I used sex as an outlet, but it wasn’t because I particularly enjoyed it. I mean, I do like sex, but having a different partner every night is not my kind of fun, you know? I guess I convinced myself that was the only kind of relationship I was fit for, but I don’t want that to be it. I want something real. And yes, I have a thing for Leah. I know I’m not subtle, but I don’t care. I’m not going to hide it because it’s nothing to be ashamed of; she’s amazing and my best friend. So I’m not going to blow my chance at being with her by fucking some random person.”

“Damn, that was deep,” Dot says, and Fatin chuckles, letting the tension drain from her shoulders, and Dot sends her a smile. “I get it, though. You’re a fucking simp for her, dude, and it’s gross, but I get it. Leah’s pretty great and would be a good match for you. So I’m rooting for you two, and if you need any help with getting your girl, just let me know.”

Fatin grins and slings her arm across Dot’s shoulders, leading them towards their towels.

“When the time is right, I will call upon you, Dottie, don’t you worry.”

//

By the time five o’clock rolls around, everyone is exhausted and packed into the SUV. They decided that they will all spend the night at Shelby’s place, as none of them were willing to cut their day short. Tim had called Dot around four to inform her that the store would not be open until Monday, leaving them with another day off, and Leah is relieved. She loves working at the bookstore, but working sixteen hours every weekend and going to school the rest of the week while also carving out time to work on assignments and hang out with Fatin, she feels a bit burnt out. 

She needs this break. Luckily all her assignments are finished, and the homework that is due Monday she managed to complete Friday night. 

When they arrive at Shelby’s house, her father, David, is there at the door waiting to greet them all with a wide smile.

“Hey, Mr. G,” Toni greets, and David is quick to tug her in for a quick hug.

“Hey, kiddo. Head on in to the kitchen; Beth has a massive spread waiting for y’all,” He says, and Toni’s eyes light up. 

“Yes!” With a fist pump, she disappears inside, leaving Shelby rolling her eyes fondly and sharing an amused look with her father.

“Thanks, dad.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart. Now let’s get these girls inside; they look dead on their feet,” He jokes, and everyone chuckles, following him into the house. When they reach the kitchen, Toni is already sitting on one of the stools at the island counter, shovelling chips into her mouth as Beth watches fondly.

“Girls! So glad you are all here. Please, grab a plate and fill it up. I don’t want any leftovers,” She says when she notices them enter and with her go-ahead, they all move to grab a paper plate and begin to fill them with the different foods.

“Thank you for this, Mrs. Goodkind,” Leah says as she settles onto the stool next to Toni, and the girls echo her statement, which Beth quickly waves off.

“Oh, you girls are more than welcome. I am happy to do it. Once you finish eating, we have towels and washcloths waiting in all the bathrooms for all of you and anything you wish to throw in the washer, please put it in the basket in the hall, and I’ll have it dried and ready for you girls tomorrow. Shelby has lots of clothes to spare for you to sleep in, but if some of you don’t find anything to fit, I’ve got a box of mine and Dave’s old clothes that you can look through. And if any of you want to keep what you find, go right ahead, I’m planning on donating it all.”

“Shelby, I think I’m in love with your mom,” Rachel says, causing the girls to burst into laughter. Beth chuckles and reaches across the counter to pat Rachel’s cheek affectionately.

“I think I’m a little old for you, hun, but I will happily take you in as an adoptive daughter. And that goes for all of you,” Beth says, and they all grin.

“Hey now, what about me? Isn’t anyone going to stake a claim? I’m a cool dad, you know, I even got the Snapchat,” David interjects, causing another round of laughter and Shelby to slap her forehead.

“Sign me up, Dave. I could use a Dilf in my life,” Fatin teases, and Shelby chokes on her drink leading David to laugh loudly along with the girls.

“Ugh, this is a nightmare,” Shelby mutters, cupping her face with both hands and Leah snickers, patting her back.

“Sorry, Shelbs, but you’ve got a hot dad, no point in fighting it,” Leah says, and Fatin high-fives her over Shelby’s head.

“While I appreciate you are acknowledging my good taste in men,” Beth says with a grin, “Do try not to steal him away from me. He’s the only one who can handle my craziness.”

David chuckles and immediately wraps Beth in his arms from behind, pressing a sweet kiss to her cheek. “You will always be all I need, darlin’. It’s us against the world, and that’s how I like it,” He says and immediately, the girls coo.

“Awe, that is so sweet,” Martha sighs, and the pair send her matching grins.

“Damn, raising the bar there, Davey,” Fatin mutters, and Dot snickers next to her while Dave sends her a wink.

“I try.”

“Yes, yes, my parents are goals. Can we move on to a different subject? I would like to keep my food down. Thank you,” Shelby says, trying to look serious, but her lips twitch, giving her teasing away.

“Next time you and Toni are all lovey-dovey, remember this moment,” Rachel says with a smirk, and Shelby flushes.

“Shut up,” She mutters, and they all laugh.

//

When Leah walks out of one of the five bathrooms in the Goodkind’s house, Fatin is there leaning against the hallway wall with her hands shoved into the pair of grey sweatpants Shelby gave her and a black men’s long sleeve drowning her thin frame. She looks so soft with her long hair falling in loose waves over her shoulders, and when she catches Leah’s eye, she immediately smiles.

“You look comfy; are you going to keep that outfit?” Fatin asks, and Leah looks down at the clothes she borrowed from the box of donations. She has on Dave’s faded burgundy Harvard sweatshirt and light grey sweatpants that sit low on her hips. She had to roll the cuffs of both the sweater and pants, but she is comfortable, and that’s all that matters.

“Yeah, I think I will. I could use more sweats,” Leah says, and Fatin hums but doesn’t say anything more. Leah studies her for a moment and notices she seems lost in thought. “Hey, are you okay?”

Fatin blinks and immediately nods, shaking herself out of her stupor. “Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” She asks, and Leah frowns, moving to stand in front of Fatin until they are nearly touching.

“You were off in another world,” Leah murmurs and Fatin chews on the inside of her cheek as she holds Leah’s gaze.

“I guess I do have some stuff on my mind, but it’s nothing to worry about.”

“Is this about what we discussed earlier at the beach?” Leah asks, and Fatin shakes her head.

“No. Nothing about that, I promise.”

Leah sighs but doesn’t push, and Fatin frowns to herself, looking down at her feet. Leah observes her, tracking her movement when she reaches out with her left hand and hooks her pinky around Leah’s lightly like this is the first time she’s taking her hand. For a moment, they both stare down at their interlocked pinkies. When Leah looks up, Fatin is already looking at her, and the expression on her face is one she has never seen before. It’s unreadable, and Leah hates that she can’t decipher its meaning. She has gotten so good at reading Fatin, but right now, it’s like all those months of studying were a waste. 

“Lee I-” Fatin begins, but footsteps rushing up the stairs has her clamping her mouth shut and standing up straight. She drops Leah’s hand when Toni appears at the end of the hall out of breath.

“Yo, hurry up, assholes, we are starting the movie. Beth even made-” Toni stops talking abruptly when she notices the lack of distance between them, and her mouth forms an ‘O’ as if she realizes she is interrupting something important.

Fatin clears her throat and slips around Leah quickly, leaving her confused as she watches Fatin walk towards the stairs and a regretful Toni. 

“What did Beth make?” Fatin asks when she reaches Toni, and for a second, Toni doesn’t speak, only looks between Leah and Fatin.

“Um, she made brownies and has everything for ice cream sundaes if you are interested.”

Leah swallows down the disappointment that bubbles in her chest and sends Toni a small smile. She wants to know what Fatin was about to say, but by how Fatin keeps her back to her, she knows that she won’t be getting answers anytime soon.

“That sounds great, Toni,” Leah finally says, and Toni nods. 

They both watch as Fatin quickly heads down the step, and when Leah reaches the top of the stairs, Toni reaches out to squeeze her arm. “I’m sorry, I interrupted you guys,” She says, and Leah shakes her head.

“It’s fine. Fatin was going to say something, but I’m sure it wasn’t too important. If it is, she will find a time to tell me,” Leah says with a smile trying to ease Toni’s guilt.

“Okay. Well, then let’s head down. I want a brownie before they are all gone.”

//

Fatin keeps her distance throughout the movie. All the girls spread out in the massive home theatre with their ice cream and snacks. Leah wants to snuggle up with Fatin, but in the way she avoids looking at her, she has a feeling Fatin doesn’t want her close at the moment. Instead, Leah pushes the hurt away and saddles up next to Toni, who immediately welcomes her. Shelby is under Toni’s other arm, and she must be aware of the awkwardness that transpired earlier because she reaches across Toni’s stomach to squeeze Leah’s hand before focusing on the screen. 

Leah tries to pay attention to the movie, but her eyes keep falling back to Fatin, which is a shame because _Dead Poet’s Society_ is one of her favourites. She makes a mental note to discuss it with Nora sometime since she is the one who got to choose which film they watched, thanks to her scoring the winning point.

Leah splits her attention between Fatin, the film, and the mess of thoughts running through her mind which are keeping her preoccupied at the moment.

What the hell could Fatin have been about to tell her that could have her avoiding Leah? She is sure she hadn’t offended her in any way or done something to warrant the sudden distance. No, it was only when Toni interrupted that she got weird. Does Toni know what Fatin was about to tell Leah? She doesn’t think so. Maybe something happened at the beach that Leah doesn’t know about; she had noticed Dot and Fatin having a serious conversation at one point.

“Relax, Leah,” Toni murmurs in her ear, startling Leah from her thoughts. “Fatin will come to you when she is ready. Just let her process whatever she has going on in her head, okay?”

Leah frowns and peers up at Toni and then to Shelby, who watches them with a knowing look on her face. “You know something, don’t you?” Leah asks, and Toni sends her a small smile.

“I have my suspicions, but it’s not my place to say. So try and be patient, Fatin will figure her shit out.”

“Fine,” Leah grumbles, and Shelby sends her a sympathetic smile while Toni tugs her closer.

“Good. Now, what the hell is going on in this movie?” Toni asks in exasperation, and Leah chuckles.

For the rest of the film, Leah quietly explains specific plot points to Toni, and by the time it’s done, all the other girls are fast asleep except them.

“You going to head over there?” Toni asks, jerking her chin in Fatin’s direction and Leah purses her lips.

“I don’t know. Fatin didn’t want me close earlier. I don’t want to overstep, especially when she isn’t even conscious to object,” She says, and Toni hums.

“True. Well, you are more than welcome to snuggle me all night. I don’t mind two hot girls wrapped around me,” Toni teases and Leah chuckles, allowing her head to fall back to Toni’s shoulder.

“Thanks, I will take you up on that offer. But if you kick me in your sleep, be prepared for retaliation.”

//

The next morning Leah finds herself curled around Toni, who is snoring quietly with Shelby burrowed into her other side in the same position as when she fell asleep. But what has Leah surprised is the body pressed to her back. When she glances over her shoulder, she finds Fatin wrapped around her, still fast asleep, and with a smile, Leah carefully twists until Fatin is in her arms. Fatin nuzzles her face further into Leah’s neck in her sleep, and Leah releases a content sigh letting her eyes fall closed once more.

With Fatin’s comforting weight against her chest and Toni’s warmth at her back, Leah quickly falls back into a deep sleep, her worries from last night long gone. All she cares about is that Fatin had at some point woken up in the middle of the night and sought out Leah. No matter the awkwardness before, Leah knows they are okay, and she will heed Toni’s advice. She will allow Fatin to come to her when she is ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leah knows how to skateboard and no one can change my mind.
> 
> also, DAVID GOODKIND IS AN ANGEL IN THIS, OKAY? NOT SOME HOMOPHOBIC/ EMOTIONALLY ABUSIVE ASSHOLE. thank you for coming to my ted talk.


	9. month four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Graduation day comes with some angst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the love! You are so amazing and I appreciate every single one of you.
> 
> So as a treat this chapter is 5500 words... you're welcome ;)

Fatin doesn’t bring up the conversation again, so neither does Leah, even though it’s killing her not to ask. Her curiosity is overwhelming, and for the next month, she throws herself into school, eager for graduation. When the day does arrive, Rana and the boys are in the crowd cheering as Fatin walks across the stage to take her diploma. 

Leah grins and claps loudly. “That’s my best friend!” She shouts, and Fatin catches her gaze, pointing her finger directly to her in acknowledgement before laughing and exiting the stage. 

One by one, her friends cross the stage, and when it’s her turn, Leah’s stomach twists. Her eyes scan the crowd, stupidly hoping that her parents have shown up. 

“Leah Rilke,” Principal Connor says into the microphone, and Leah swallows the lump that formed in her throat. 

They aren’t there. 

Forcing a smile, Leah walks up the steps and across the stage, shaking Principal Connor’s hand and poses for a photo with the woman while holding her diploma. 

She can hear her friends cheering and Toni’s incredibly loud wolf-whistle, but it’s almost as if there is cotton in her ears muting the sound.

She smiles when she hears Fatin yell, “That’s my best friend!” from her seat just like Leah had done before, and when she finds Fatin’s gaze, her sadness fades a little.

Her parents don’t deserve to be here anyway, she thinks, trying to convince herself she doesn’t need them, but it gets harder to believe once the commencement ends and parents swarm her classmates. 

When she finds Fatin being hugged tight by Rana and the boys, her throat tightens. Leah hangs back for a moment, taking one more sweep of the crowd just to make sure she didn’t miss her parents, but when no one calls out to her or pushes through the mass of people after a minute, she clenches her fists and takes a deep breath. 

She doesn’t need them or their support and praise. She is doing just fine without it.

“Leah! Honey, I am so proud of you!” Rana gushes, and Leah blinks. She hadn’t noticed she had been walking towards her unconsciously.

Leah smiles, and Rana is quick to pull her in for a tight hug. Leah wraps her arms around Rana, gripping the back of her shirt desperately as she tries not to cry. But when Rana rubs her hand up and down her back and kisses her head, Leah breaks. 

Tears slip down her cheeks, and she buries her head into Rana’s neck. 

“Oh sweetie,” Rana murmurs against Leah’s hair, sliding her hand up to cup the back of Leah’s head. “I’ve got you. You’ll be okay.”

Leah nods and takes a deep breath to calm herself, and when she pulls back, she immediately wipes her eyes, incredibly glad she had chosen the waterproof mascara.

“Sorry, sorry, I just-” Leah sighs and shakes her head, looking off into the crowd. “I just um had the stupid thought that maybe they might have shown up even after everything, but I guess not.”

“I know,” Rana whispers, cupping Leah’s cheeks and pulling her attention back to her. “And that is not stupid. Of course, you want your parents here. High school graduation is a critical moment in your life that they should not be missing. And it is heartbreaking that they chose to.”

Leah’s eyes sting, and she releases a bitter chuckle. “Yeah. Well, not much I can do about it now. I’ve graduated. The moment has passed.”

Rana sighs and leans forward to kiss Leah’s forehead. “I know I’m not your mom Leah, but I care about you like you are my own. And I got pictures of you crossing that stage and holding your diploma, and they are going up on my mantle right next to Fatin’s.”

Tears pool in Leah’s eyes again, and she sends Rana a shy smile. “Thank you for everything. God, I don’t know what I would have done without you. I won’t lie; I wish you were my mom. You are so much better than my own.”

Rana’s eyes shimmer with tears, and she brushes a strand of hair from Leah’s eyes. “Well, you may not be my blood, but you’re a part of our family now, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. If you want me to be your mom, then that’s what I will be. I would be honoured,” She says quietly, and Leah immediately dives into her arms.

“I do,” Leah murmurs into Rana’s shoulder, and Rana’s arms tighten around her.

“I do too,” Rana whispers.

After a minute, they pull apart, and Leah sees Fatin watching them with a soft smile. She launches herself into Fatin’s arms with a grin, and they hug each other as if their lives depend on it.

“We graduated,” Leah whispers, and Fatin nods, pulling back slightly so she can meet Leah’s eyes. 

“Damn straight, Rilke. And I have you to thank. If you hadn’t kicked my ass in tutoring, I wouldn’t have passed this year. So thank you. I owe you,” Fatin says, and Leah smiles.

“Cook me breakfast for a week, and I will forgive your debt. And if you decide to buy me ice cream too, I wouldn’t be opposed,” Leah says with a smirk, and Fatin laughs, tugging on one of Leah’s curls.

“Got it.”

“LeeLee, can we hug you now?” Arry asks, tugging on Leah’s black robe and immediately she pulls back from Fatin to kneel in front of him.

“Oh, I think I need a giant bear hug from you, little man,” She says with a broad smile, and he grins, launching himself into her arms. She squeezes him tight and rocks side to side, soaking in the comfort he never fails to bring her. He giggles when she tickles his sides after a moment and when he squirms out of her grip, she chuckles at the pout he sends her. 

“My turn,” Sam says, and Leah is quick to stand, opening her arms open for the boy. Much like Arry, he dives into her body, nearly knocking the breath out of her. She smiles and presses a kiss to his head as she holds him tight.

“Fatin,” a male voice calls from a few feet behind them, and Leah looks over her shoulder along with Fatin.

Immediately Fatin stiffens, and Leah frowns as she takes in the sharply dressed man. He looks vaguely familiar as she takes in slicked back greying dark hair, the black dress shirt and black slacks. Sam’s breath catches when he sees him, and Leah looks down in concern. Arry leans into her leg just then, too, and when she glances at Rana, her jaw is clenching, but she looks as if she is trying not to let her anger show with so many people around.

“Dad,” Fatin says flatly, and Leah’s stomach drops. Well shit.

“You looked incredibly up there, honey. I’m proud of you,” Mr. Jadmani says, and Fatin glares at him, ignoring the compliment. 

“What are you doing here?” She asks instead, and he frowns slightly.

“My eldest is graduating, am I not allowed to witness it?”

“No. You lost that right a long time ago. I think you should leave,” Fatin snaps, and Rana is quick to step in front of her daughter.

“Ahmad, maybe this conversation is best to be had outside,” She says stiffly, and Ahmad looks as if he is about to argue, but his eyes flicker towards Leah and then the boys who huddle against her, and he nods.

“Of course.”

Rana nods and looks back at Leah and Fatin. “Can you watch the boys for a minute?” She asks, and they nod quickly.

She sends them a grateful smile before escorting a reluctant Ahmad out of the gymnasium. 

“Is daddy leaving again?” Arry whispers, and Leah looks down, her heart breaking when she sees the sadness in his big eyes and Fatin sighs, crouching next to him.

“I think mama is just going to talk with him right now, though I am sure you will get to visit with him after if you want. But he still won’t be living with us, buddy. I’m sorry,” Fatin says quietly, and Arry nods, leaning into her side.

“There’s my boys!” A voice calls, and when Leah looks up, Toni is walking towards them with a broad smile, Shelby right beside her, and Arry immediately perks up, his sadness forgotten as he bolts for Toni.

Leah smiles when Toni swings him up into her arms, and Sam leaves Leah’s side to rush over too. 

“Toni! I scored a three-pointer at school yesterday!” Sam says, bouncing on his toes in excitement and Toni’s eyes widen.

“No way! I want a scrimmage with you soon. See how you test against the best,” She says with a wink, and he laughs when she messes up his hair. 

“Hey girls, you still coming to the barbeque my parents are hosting?” Shelby asks, and Leah nods, but it’s Fatin who speaks.

“Hell yeah. I’m starving, and your mom is an incredible cook. No way am I passing up the opportunity to stuff my face with her famous mashed potatoes.”

Shelby laughs, and Leah rolls her eyes but can’t help the smile that spreads across her face. 

“Rana made a bunch of stuff too. She’s excited to meet your mom,” Leah tells Shelby, who smiles.

“Oh man, those two are going to be best friends. I can already see it. We are all going to get fat with how much food they force-feed us.”

“Worse things could happen,” Fatin interjects. “We could starve.”

Shelby nods. “Very true. Well, we just came over to double-check that you were still coming. We are going to head home and change, but you guys can come over any time. My dad’s not planning to start grilling until five.”

“Please tell me there’s steak,” Leah pleads, and Shelby chuckles.

“Oh, there will be steak. And burgers, and hot dogs, and chicken, and pork chops and shishkabobs. Pretty much any meat you can grill, my dad bought it.”

Leah’s stomach rumbles immediately, and Fatin laughs, slinging her arm over her shoulders. “Come on garbage disposal, let’s get you a snack before the main course.”

Leah sticks her tongue out at her, and Shelby sends them an amused grin.

“Arry, Sam, come on, we are heading home,” Fatin calls, and the boys immediately stop trying to wrestle Toni to the floor. 

“God, I’m dating a giant child,” Shelby mutters, and Leah laughs.

“Girl, we both know you are going to marry that giant child. So you better get used to her antics,” Leah teases, and Shelby blushes as she walks off, while the boys run back to Leah and Fatin.

They head outside to the parking lot, searching for Rana and find her standing with Ahmad on the sidewalk, both looking uncomfortable. 

Fatin curses under breath, and Leah reaches out to squeeze her hand. 

Arry is the first to break the tension when he runs up to Ahmad and hugs his legs, and then Sam follows, though more reserved. While the boys embrace their father, Fatin and Leah greet Rana, who sends them a small smile.

“What did you discuss?” Fatin whispers, glancing at her dad warily as he laughs and crouches in front of the boys, speaking to them softly.

“Our arrangement,” Rana says, and Fatin frowns. “Regarding custody. He wants to see the boys and you on the weekends. I told him I would think about it. And that you would be unlikely to agree, but the boys do miss him, and I don’t want to deprive them of that relationship. Of course, there will be ground rules, and we will need to go through our lawyers to draft up an agreement, but I think it’s for the best that they get to spend time with him.”

Fatin’s jaw clenches, but she nods, and Rana rubs her arm sympathetically. Leah links their fingers together, and Fatin glances her way, sending her a grateful smile.

“Mama, can I stay with daddy?” Arry asks unexpectedly, and Rana grimaces when she meets his hopeful gaze.

“Not tonight, baby. But hopefully soon. Daddy and I are going to come up with a schedule, okay?” She says gently, crouching next to him, and he looks disappointed but nods anyway.

“Okay,” Arry whispers, and Rana presses a kiss to his head.

“It will happen, kiddo,” Ahmad promises, brushing his thumb across Arry’s cheek, looking sad but hopeful, much like his sons, and Fatin grips Leah’s hand tight. 

Without a word, she stalks off, pulling Leah along, leaving Ahmad, Rana and the boys to watch her go, and Leah sends them a gentle smile of reassurance before focusing ahead, allowing Fatin to lead her to the car.

“I hate him,” Fatin hisses when they are out of sight and slams foot into the back passenger side tire. “He fucking ruined our family, and now he comes crawling back looking for favours? No. Fuck him. He doesn’t get to do that. I watched my mom fall apart. I held the boys for weeks as they cried themselves to sleep, waiting up for him. He can’t just worm his way back in because he has finally grown a fucking conscience or because his life is suddenly complete and utter shit. He deserves to feel like shit, and he sure as fuck doesn’t deserve time with my brothers.”

Leah’s eyes water as she watches Fatin unload her pain. Her anger is heartbreaking because Leah knows Fatin idolized her father. He was her best friend for the longest time, and to have him hurt their family like this destroyed her trust in the man she loved so dearly. Who Leah knows she still loves so much. Maybe that’s why she is so angry; she doesn’t want to love her dad still and hates herself for not letting go.

“Fuck,” Fatin whispers when tears fall down her cheeks, and Leah is quick to cup her face, using her thumbs to brush them away. Fatin looks up at her, and Leah’s heart clenches when she sees the lost look in her eyes. Fatin looks so young, and Leah hates that Ahmad has caused so much damage with his selfishness. Fatin’s bottom lip trembles, and she reaches up to grip Leah’s forearms desperately. “He can’t do this to me. He can’t ruin graduation.”

Leah swallows roughly, and because she can’t think of anything to say, she rests her forehead on Fatin’s. They stay like that for a few minutes, just soaking in each other’s comfort and then Fatin is stepping closer and wrapping Leah in a crushing hug.

“I’m sorry your parents didn’t show,” Fatin rasps and Leah nods into her shoulder.

“I’m sorry your dad did,” Leah murmurs and Fatin releases a tiny chuckle.

“Thanks. Though I guess I shouldn’t complain too much, huh? Both my parents are here even after everything.”

Leah immediately shakes her head and pulls her head back to meet Fatin’s gaze. “You’re allowed to be upset with him for showing up unannounced, Fatin. There’s no need to compare your issues to mine. Besides, I kind of figured they weren’t going to come.”

“It still hurts you, though,” Fatin murmurs and Leah swallows hard.

“Yeah. It fucking sucks. But I have you, and your mom has practically adopted me at this point, so really, things could be worse.”

“True,” Fatin says, and Leah sends her small smile, tugging on the front of Fatin’s graduation robe.

“What do you say we try to put our shitty parents behind us and enjoy our day? We have an epic barbeque to attend where we get to hang out with all our friends, and then tonight we can have a cryfest before we go to sleep.”

Fatin smiles slightly and nods. “Yeah, that sounds good.”

//

The barbeque is in full swing when Leah and Fatin walk through the door with Rana and the boys in tow. 

Shelby is the first to greet them when they walk into the kitchen holding multiple trays of food.

“Hey! Glad you guys are finally here. You can place the food on the counter. Everyone is outback if you want to head out. Dinner will be ready within the hour,” She says, and they nod, quickly depositing the food on the island before heading for the sliding doors.

“There they are!” David calls from the massive stainless steel barbeque. Leah smiles when he closes the lid and quickly walks over to greet them. “Girls, you know where everything is, so help yourself. The coolers of packed with juice, water and pop, and there are snacks on the picnic table.”

Fatin and Leah nod, and David turns his attention to the boys who are pressed against Rana, suddenly shy. 

“As for you boys, we got some games going on. Toni has been crushing everyone, so maybe you two could show her up, huh?” He says with a wink, and Sam is quick to smile, nodding eagerly.

He takes Arry’s hand and drags him across the deck and down the steps where Toni, Dot, Rachel and Shelby’s siblings play soccer. 

“You must be David,” Rana says with a broad smile, reaching out to shake his hand, and David smiles. 

“That’s me. And you must be Rana. I’ve heard from the girls that I better prepare myself for when you and my wife meet. They feel as if you two will get along great and put us all into food comas.”

Rana laughs, and Fatin takes Leah’s hand, leading her away from David and Rana, leaving them to talk. 

When they descend the deck steps, Fatin and Leah make their way to Nora, sitting at the picnic table with Martha, watching the soccer scrimmage. 

“Hey!” Martha greets with a wide smile. “Happy graduation day!”

Leah chuckles and immediately bends over to hug her. “Happy graduation day to you too, Marty.”

“Shit, I’m hungry,” Fatin mutters as she plops down next to Nora, giving her a side hug in greeting before reaching behind her to grab a handful of chips. Leah rolls her eyes before she moves to hug Nora.

“So, how bad is Toni’s ego right now?” Leah asks, taking a few chips for herself as she rests her hip against the end of the table, watching the soccer game.

“Her head has inflated like a helium balloon the size of the empire state building. I’m surprised she hasn’t floated into the stratosphere yet,” Nora says, and the girls laugh.

“Well, I think someone needs to change that, don’t you?” Leah asks with a smirk before she pushes off the table and quietly walks up behind Toni as Arry runs towards her, kicking the soccer ball as he goes. When Toni moves to defend, Leah grabs her around the waist and pulls her out of the way giving Arry a free breakaway. He giggles and kicks the ball into the mini net earning cheers from everyone while Toni shouts in frustration.

“Rilke! I’m going to kill you!”

Leah laughs loudly and drops Toni to the ground. Toni whirls on her, and before Leah can run, she tackles her to the grass. Leah grunts when she hits the ground but immediately grapples with Toni and manages to flip them, so she is on top. 

Toni glares up at her, but all Leah does is smirk and pat her cheek in a placating manner. “Good effort, T, but I’m still stronger.”

“Stronger my ass,” Toni grumbles as she bucks her hips to dislodge Leah’s balance, but Leah doesn’t budge. Toni scowls and squirms even more as Leah bites back her laughter. After a minute of struggle from Toni, Leah relents and gets to her feet.

“Come on, Arry, let’s kick some more butt,” Leah calls, and Arry immediately runs towards her with a wide smile. He takes her hand and leads her away from a pouting Toni.

//

“You going to tell Leah today?” Dot asks Fatin as they sit on the steps watching Leah play with Arry and Sam, the three of them laughing as they chase after Toni, who looks determined to keep the football to herself. 

“No,” Fatin says immediately, and Dot frowns, glancing her way.

“Why? You’ve been planning this for weeks.”

“Her parents didn’t show. And then my dad arrived and ruined my mood, so I think I’ll wait a little bit.”

Dot sighs but doesn’t object. “I guess that’s a good idea. You don’t want her to think you are just telling her how you feel because you are upset about your dad.”

“Yeah,” Fatin mutters, and Dot slings her arm over her shoulders.

“I can’t believe her parents are that petty,” Dot says after a moment, and Fatin hums.

“They are fucking assholes. I don’t know all the details since Leah still hasn’t told me why, but from what I’ve gathered, they assumed something nasty about her and didn’t even have the decency to listen to her side of the story. Just kicked her out, barely giving her twenty minutes to pack her shit.”

“Ugh,” Dot scoffs. “Pricks.”

“Yep. I knew Leah wasn’t okay when she stepped on stage and was confused about why, but then she fell apart in my mom’s arms, and I felt stupid for forgetting that her parents should have been there. It’s like everything that happened in her life before coming to live with me slipped my mind.”

“I mean, that’s understandable. You’ve spent every day together for four months, which probably feels like much longer to you guys. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the present and forget the circumstances surrounding the reason she ended up living with you in the first place,” Dot explains quietly, and Fatin picks at a hangnail as she takes in Dot’s words.

Had it only been four months? To her, it felt like a lifetime but in the best way. It’s like she and Leah have been friends forever, and even though they still hadn’t confided in each other about their most significant traumas just yet, Fatin knows that when she does decide to tell her, Leah won’t judge or pity her. She feels safe with her and wants to tell her everything; she wants Leah to know her better than anyone and vice versa. 

“She’s not going to university,” Fatin blurts, and Dot looks over in surprise. “Well, I mean she is, she wants to, but she can’t afford to go right away. And I still have no fucking clue what I want to do with my life, which means we are both going to be living at home. Is it bad that I’m happy she isn’t going anywhere just yet? I know that is incredibly selfish, but I don’t want to part from her. I like having her around all the time. But what if she is desperate to leave? What if she wants her own space and is just too nice to say anything?”

Dot’s lips quirk up, and she releases a breathless chuckle as she studies Fatin. “You may be aware of your feelings for Leah, but damn, are you blind when it comes to noticing the signs regarding her feelings for you.”

Fatin’s eyes widen, and she whips her head up to look at Dot. “What?”

“Dude, that girl is crazy about you. She is blind as fuck to her feelings, but I think that may have to do more about her dealing with what transpired with her parents than with you in particular. She’s in survival mode right now. First, it was finding a place to live after being kicked out; then it was finding a job to support herself, so she didn’t feel like a burden to you and your family. The next step is graduating, which she has now completed. She is going through the motions, doing everything that she believes is expected of her. She probably hasn’t even allowed herself to think about a relationship, let alone deal with the trauma of whatever happened to get her kicked out. But I swear to you, if you were to go up to her right this instant and tell her how you feel, she would reciprocate. She might be stunned and think it’s coming out of nowhere, but her subconscious will kick in and connect all the dots.”

“Holy shit,” Fatin mutters, staring at Dot in disbelief. “That actually makes sense. Are you a therapist? Because you should be a therapist.”

Dot laughs and shoves Fatin’s shoulder. “Dude, I’m actually planning to go into social work. I haven't even told anyone yet; what the fuck."

Fatin joins in her laughter and shakes her head in amazement. "I fucking knew it. You've been psychoanalyzing me this whole time. Is that why we're friends? You needed a test subject?"

Dot snorts. "Damn, you caught me."

Fatin chuckles, and Dot knocks their shoulders together. As they fall into a comfortable silence, Fatin's gaze finds Leah once more. She's finished playing with the kids and is now speaking with Toni; the pair huddled together next to the fire pit.

"You know, I never expected those two to hit it off so well," Dot says, and Fatin nods.

"I know. At face value, they don't work, but knowing them now, it makes sense."

"They have something in common now," Dot says plainly, and Fatin glances her way. "Neither have parents supporting them. Shelby and Martha's families are Toni's support system now, while your family is Leah's. Plus, their temperaments are similar. They can both get too competitive and are quick to anger."

"What? Leah does not have a temper," Fatin scoffs, but Dot shakes her head.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I think she hasn't had anything to set her off. The closest thing so far is probably Ian, but that doesn't mean her anger isn't right there under the surface, waiting for someone to strike a match. I guess that you are the one keeping her calm, but one day she will snap, and it won't be pretty. She's always on edge; it's in the way she holds herself. The tight shoulders, the constant shifting of her eyes, the way she fidgets with her fingers or bounces her knee, and the way her jaw is almost always clenched. Toni does it too. Though she's less intense now."

Fatin stares at Dot in bewilderment for a moment before returning her focus to Leah, searching for the body language Dot has pointed out.

Leah's shoulders are what catches her eye first. Even sitting in a comfortable lawn chair, they are stiff. As she watches, Leah's tapping foot draws her attention, followed by the way her fingers clench and unclench around the arms of the chairs as she speaks. And when Fatin's eyes settle on Leah's face, she purses her lips. Leah's jaw is jutted slightly, and the muscle twitches when she stops speaking. She is grinding her teeth, and Fatin can tell Leah is unaware she is doing any of it.

"What the hell?" She mutters, and Dot hums in agreement. "How do you know all that?"

"I read a lot of psychology books. And I'll need to know all that stuff for the future, so I observe everyone," Dot explains, and Fatin runs a hand through her hair roughly.

"Well, how do I get her to stop doing that? I don't want her to lose her shit. She will feel awful if she does."

"There's not much you can do personally. It's Leah who has to make the changes. Therapy is an option, as well as meditation. Maybe trick her into doing yoga," Dot says, and Fatin chews on her bottom lip, thinking it over.

"Okay, everyone, time for s'mores!" Beth calls from the deck, gaining all the kids' attention, startling Fatin out of her thoughts. She and Dot quickly stand and help grab the bags of marshmallows and chocolate bars while everyone else organizes the chairs around the fire.

By now, everyone has changed into their warmer clothes for the night as the sun is nearly gone. Fatin decides to settle into the same chair as Leah, who looks amused but immediately shifts to make room. Of course, Fatin ignores all the knowing looks from her friends and curls into Leah's side without care, handing Leah a marshmallow to roast on the end of her stick.

Dot sends her a smirk as she settles next to them in the chair initially for Fatin before grabbing a stick and marshmallow for herself.

"I'm guessing I am in charge of roasting your marshmallows?" Leah teases quietly, and Fatin looks up at her with a grin.

"Yep. Now get to work, Rilke. And don't burn it."

//

When they get home, it is nearly midnight, and Leah is exhausted. She can't be bothered to shower and immediately crawls into her bed, not caring that her sheets will smell like a campfire in the morning.

She doesn't realize Fatin has followed her into her room until the door shuts with a quiet click, and Fatin's body slips in behind her.

"Is it time for that cryfest you mentioned?" Fatin whispers, and Leah chuckles, rolling onto her side, so she faces her.

"I think now is as good of a time as any."

Fatin sends her a small smile and shuffles down until her head is resting on the pillow, her nose nearly brushing Leah's.

"Don't judge me for my ugly crying face," Fatin says, and Leah bites her lip.

"You couldn't be ugly even if you tried your hardest. I, on the other hand," Leah teases, and Fatin scoffs.

"Don't even Rilke. You're hot, and you know it. And you are probably stupidly attractive when you cry."

"Oh, I'm hot, huh?" Leah whispers, her lips twitching, and Fatin nods. "I guess you will just have to wait until the waterfall starts to find out."

"Well, get ready because mine is about to start," Fatin rasps, her eyes shining in the bit of moonlight that illuminates the room. Leah's throat tightens, and she reaches out to place her hand on Fatin's cheek just as the first tear falls.

It doesn't take long for hers to follow, and soon she and Fatin are crying in earnest, their faces pressed into each others' shoulders to muffle their sobs.

Fatin's fingers dig into Leah's hip, her grip desperate, and Leah's fingers slip into Fatin's hair in response as she struggles to breathe.

Fatin is the first to calm down, her breaths shallow and quick, but her tears have stopped, allowing her to coax Leah through her crying. She slips her arms around Leah and holds her tight, one hand running through her hair while the other rubs small circles in the middle of her back.

It's not long until Leah's sobs subside, and she melts into Fatin's embrace. She wipes her face, and once she is sure she is no longer covered in snot, she lifts her head, her nose nudging Fatin's.

"Still stupidly attractive?" Leah croaks, and Fatin immediately smiles, sweeping hair out of Leah's face, tucking it behind her ear.

"Breathtaking," She murmurs, and Leah's grip on Fatin's sweatshirt tightens. She swallows hard as she meets Fatin's dark gaze, and before she can really stop herself, her eyes dip to her lips. Her eyes flick back up immediately when she realizes what she is doing, and Fatin's throat bobs.

"Leah," Fatin begins, her breath brushing Leah's lips. "I um-"

The ringing of Leah's phone interrupts what Fatin was about to say, and with a groan, Leah hastily yanks it off the nightstand to turn it off, but when she catches the caller ID, she freezes.

"Ian?" She whispers, confused and glances at Fatin, who looks annoyed for a moment before her brows crease in concern as she eyes the phone.

"Has he called you since that day in the parking lot?" She asks, and Leah shakes her head.

"Something must be wrong if he is suddenly calling," Leah murmurs and Fatin nudges her.

"Answer it."

Leah nods and quickly hits the green button, placing the call on speaker.

"Ian?"

"Leah," Ian says, sighing in relief. "I'm sorry to call so late, and I know after what I did, you don't want to speak with me, but this is important, and I couldn't just send it over text or let you find out on the news or something, it didn't seem right."

"It's okay," Leah says after a moment and sits up in bed, Fatin following her seconds later. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. This has nothing to do with me. But it is about Jeff," Ian says, his voice nearly a whisper by the time he finishes his sentence and Leah's stomach lurches. Her grip on the phone tightens painfully, and Fatin watches her in concern.

"What? What about him?" Leah asks, forcing the words out even though bile threatens to rise in her throat as she does.

"He's been arrested, Leah."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehe, didn't see that coming did you? Enjoy that cliff hanger while I work on the next update. But don't worry you won't have to wait too long.


	10. month four pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leah has a panic attack.

The phone drops from Leah's hand, and she can hear Ian calling her name, asking if she is okay, but she doesn't have the strength to pick it up back up.

It's Fatin who does, telling Ian that she's alright, just a bit shaken and that she will call him back tomorrow.

"Get your mom," Leah gasps when her chest tightens, and her breaths start coming in quick bursts. Fatin frowns, quickly slipping off the bed to kneel in front of her.

"What?"

"Please, Fatin, please get your mom," She begs, tears springing to her eyes, and Fatin swallows roughly, nodding.

"Okay, I'll get her, just keep taking deep breaths until I get back."

Leah jerks her head in an attempt to nod, and Fatin stands, pressing a quick kiss to Leah's temple before running from the room to grab Rana.

A sob escapes her, and she quickly grips the comforter to ground her to the moment, but the deep breaths she attempts never come. No matter how hard she tries, her lungs restrict, and she is left gasping.

It feels like an eternity passes before Fatin comes rushing back into the room with a concerned Rana right behind her wrapped in a grey silk bathrobe, looking dishevelled but alert as she sits in front of Leah.

"Leah honey, listen to my voice," Rana murmurs, ducking her head so she can meet Leah's wild and fearful gaze. "You are having a panic attack. Now I want you to listen to my instructions and try to follow the best you can, okay?"

Leah nods quickly as an incredibly shallow breath rattles in her chest, and Rana sends her a gentle smile.

"Okay. First, let's focus on breathing. I want you to try and slow yours to match mine." Rana gently coaxes one of Leah's fists open and places it palm down over her chest. "We are going to breathe in through the nose, hold for four seconds and then breathe out through the mouth to start."

Leah watches Rana's chest where her palm is resting and tries to inhale through her nose, letting her chest rise in time with Rana's, but already her lungs are burning, and she can't even hold the breath for two seconds before she has to release it.

"I'm sorry, I can't," Leah cries, her left hand coming up to clutch at her chest, and Rana quickly cups her face, lifting it, so they are eye to eye.

"You can, honey. I know it's painful, and you think you are dying, but you are not. You can breathe; your mind is just tricking you. It's in survival mode. Let's try again, okay? We will do this as many times as it takes. Just focus on me, don't let your mind wander. You are safe. You are home in your bedroom. Fatin is here with us, and the boys are just down the hall sleeping. You are safe," Rana murmurs, and Leah nods, sucking in a sharp breath, her eyes immediately searching for Fatin.

She finds her sitting on the floor next to the door watching in concern, but when she meets Leah's desperate gaze, she immediately jumps up and walks over. Without Leah having to ask, she climbs in the bed and sits behind her, so Leah is between her legs and able to lean back into her chest.

"I got you," Fatin whispers in her ear, and Leah grips her hand tight, letting her head fall back onto Fatin's shoulder, her chest heaving still, but now she feels steady.

She meets Rana's gaze, and Rana smiles, squeezing her knee in support before they try the breathing exercise again.

It takes her three tries to hold her breath for four seconds before she slowly moves on with the next exercise; breathing in for four, holding for seven, and then breathing out for eight seconds. Her gasping is replaced with more even and slow breaths, and she can breathe deeply after a few minutes leaving her exhausted and aching.

She slumps back into Fatin, and a few tears leak from her eyes, but she is no longer panicking. She is just tired and numb.

"How are you feeling?" Rana asks, rubbing Leah's knee and Leah sighs, licking her lips.

"Sore and tired."

"That's normal. Do you know what triggered it?" Rana says, and Leah stiffens, letting her eyes drop to her lap where she is fiddling with Fatin's fingers.

"I got a phone call," Leah murmurs, and when she looks up at Rana again, the woman looks worried. "It was Ian. He told me that Jeff had been arrested and that he didn't want me to find out in the news or something."

Understanding dawns on Rana, and she purses her lips. "I see. Do you know what the charges are?"

Leah shakes her head, and Fatin tightens her hold, ducking her head, so her chin rests on Leah's shoulder.

"I will look into it for you. For now, please try and get some sleep, okay?" Rana says, and Leah nods, leaning forward to hug her.

"Thank you," She whispers, and Rana rubs her back before pulling back to press her lips to Leah's forehead.

"You're welcome, sweetie. Sleep tight."

Leah watches Rana get up and exit the room leaving Fatin and her alone once again. For a few minutes, they don't speak; Fatin continues to hold her, and Leah chews on her bottom lip, lost in thought.

She expects her thoughts to be consumed with Jeff, and some of them are, but for some reason, that is not her main focus. She will deal with him in the morning. Instead, it's the moment she and Fatin shared that is forcing its way to the very front and center of her mind. They nearly kissed. And once again, Fatin was interrupted in telling her something. Leah is confident what she tried to tell her at Shelby's house before Toni arrived is what she was about to tell her before the phone call. What is with them always being interrupted when they are trying to have serious conversations? And this one in particular?

"You should sleep," Fatin whispers, breaking the silence, and Leah blinks out of her reverie.

She doesn't want to sleep. She wants to ask Fatin to finish what she was going to say before. She wants to know the end of that sentence finally. It has been driving her mad for over a month now.

"No," Leah rasps, and when she turns her head, Fatin is frowning down at her.

"No?"

"I don't want to sleep. Not until you tell me what you were going to say before Ian called," She says, and Fatin's eyes widen.

"What?" Fatin says with a nervous chuckle, shaking her head. "I wasn't going to say anything."

"Fatin," Leah warns, pulling away so she can turn around entirely, slinging her legs over Fatin's thighs and grabbing her hands to make sure she doesn't try and leave. "Yes, you were. You also were going to say something a month ago at Shelby's house when Toni interrupted. Then you got all weird after, and I don't want that to happen again, so please, tell me. It's been driving me crazy not knowing. Toni told me to let you come to me when you were ready, and I have been patient, but then you almost repeated it, and this time I'm not waiting another month or longer."

Fatin shakes her head quickly, letting her eyes wander around the dark room, looking at anything but Leah's intense gaze. "It's not a good time. You just learned someone you know got arrested and had a panic attack and-"

"Stop," Leah whispers and Fatin's mouth clicks shut. "Clearly, there will never be a good time. We keep getting interrupted, and I, for one, am getting sick of it. So stop with the excuses and come out with it. Please."

Fatin stares at her with wide, almost fearful eyes, and Leah frowns, running her thumbs over the back of Fatin's hands.

"Of course, if you truly are not ready to tell me, then don't. But if you are not telling me because you think I can't handle whatever it is or something, then don't even think about it. I'm not some fragile flower," Leah says quietly, and Fatin's throat bobs nervously.

"I know you're not fragile," Fatin croaks, and Leah raises her brows, waiting. Fatin sighs and smiles wryly before a chuckle escapes her. "I should have known you would notice eventually. I just hoped you stay oblivious for a little while longer. Mostly for my benefit."

Leah's lips quirk, and she tilts her head as she watches Fatin avoid her gaze, determined to focus on their intertwined fingers instead.

"Yes, I was going to tell you something at Shelby's house," Fatin finally says, looking up to meet Leah's gaze. "But when Toni showed up, I freaked out and got lost in my own thoughts, which is why I got weird and distant that night, and I'm sorry."

Leah nods and squeezes Fatin's hands in acceptance, allowing her to continue her explanation.

"I was scared," Fatin admits, chewing on her cheek as she searches Leah's face. "I was scared of your reaction and what your response would be. So I told myself to forget it and wait some more before I told you. I was actually going to tell you after our commencement. But then your parents didn't show up, and my dad was a dick, and well, you get it. So I once again pushed the idea aside. But then we um- we were really close after crying earlier and all of a sudden I didn't want to wait anymore. It seemed like the perfect time. And then, of course, I get fucking bulldozed by a phone call."

Leah bites back a grin when Fatin scowls down at Leah's phone, and when she looks up at Leah again, she is nearly pouting.

"That thing is off, right? I don't want to be cut off again," Fatin jokes, nodding at the phone, and Leah grins before grabbing the device.

She holds the power button for a few seconds and swipes the red button across the top of the screen quickly. They both watch as it powers off, and once the screen goes black, she tosses it aside, glancing over at Fatin smirking.

"Continue," She says, and Fatin chuckles, running a hand through her hair.

"Is it bad I now kind of wish for something to interrupt us?" Fatin mumbles, and Leah giggles, tugging on Fatin's hand.

"Just say it. I'm sure I will handle whatever you are about to say just fine."

Fatin groans and flops onto her back, grabbing one of Leah's pillows to press over her face. Leah rolls her eyes when Fatin's admission gets muffled, and she immediately crawls over top of her so she can lift the pillow and peer down at Fatin.

"What was that?" Leah whispers, locking their gazes together, and Fatin swallows hard.

"I said." Fatin pauses and tugs on the drawstrings of Leah's sweatshirt before taking a deep breath. "That I like you. As more than a friend."

Leah's stomach somersaults, and she stares down at Fatin with wide eyes. For some reason, that was one of the last things she thought she would say. But now, thinking about it, she can see how stupid she is for not realizing it. She definitely didn't let herself imagine Fatin could feel that way about her. It makes sense, though, now that she allows herself to think about it.

"Oh," She murmurs, and she wants to slap herself. _Oh? You don't just say, "oh" you idiot. Say something else._ "I mean- fuck. Wait, I can do better."

Leah winces and shakes her head at her own words, and Fatin quakes under her with silent laughter. Leah laughs and slaps her shoulder. "Shut up, just let me get my thoughts in order, so I don't completely butcher this moment."

Fatin can't keep her laughter contained, and when it bursts from her, it's loud and unrestrained, and Leah has to cover her mouth to try and smother the sound, so she doesn't wake up the boys or Rana.

"Shh, shhh," Leah hisses in between her own giggles as she sits hunched over Fatin, her head falling to rest on Fatin's shaking shoulder. "Fuck. Okay, okay, I can do this." Leah takes a deep breath and lifts her head to peer down at Fatin, whose eyes are still filled with mirth, and Leah clears her throat, letting her hand slip from Fatin's mouth as she sits back, collecting her resolve.

Fatin watches her, now calmer and a little nervous, but Leah sends her a comforting smile.

"I'm not going to lie; I hadn't really allowed myself to notice the signs. But I had an inkling that our friendship had an underlying layer of tension to it. So I can't say I'm shocked by your admission. And I know that my feelings for you are not solely platonic either. I just kind of brushed those thoughts aside. It's always been more with you, and I'm not dense enough to say that if that call hadn't happened, I most likely would have kissed you. With your consent, of course," Leah says quietly, and Fatin's eyes are wide by the time she finishes.

"Holy shit, Dot was right," Fatin whispers, and Leah quirks a brow.

"You talked with Dot about this?"

"Well yeah. I wasn't exactly subtle in my admiration of you, Rilke. She called me out as soon as she saw us at the bookstore," Fatin says and Leah bites her lips to hide her laughter.

"Is that so? Well, then I am assuming Toni also figured it out at some point too?"

Fatin grimaces, and Leah smirks. "Yeah. Both she and Dot can be quite rude. And Shelby caught on during the party we attended. Oh, and Rachel was a bitch and called me out in our huddle during volleyball when I nearly passed out seeing you in a bikini for the first time. So safe to say everyone knows."

Leah snickers and leans down to press her forehead to Fatin's cheek.

"I knew you were staring. You made it so easy to win," She whispers, highly amused, and Fatin chuckles.

She wraps her arms around Leah's back and, in one swift motion, flips them, so Leah is on her back. Leah stares up at her in surprise but smiles when Fatin leans down, so she hovers over her.

"I wasn't too upset with the loss. Not when I got to watch you run around in that swimsuit for an hour."

Leah laughs and tugs Fatin closer by the collar of her shirt.

"Can't say that I wasn't a little distracted myself. You can really rock the colour orange."

Fatin smirks and lowers herself, so her body moulds into Leah's, and her hands press into the mattress on either side of her head. "Oh, I know. Why do you think I chose to wear that one? I wanted a certain blue-eyed hottie to take notice," She murmurs and Leah snickers.

"Shelby definitely noticed."

Fatin blinks and pulls her head back a little. "Shelby has blue eyes?"

Leah rolls her eyes and pokes Fatin's side, getting a flinch in response before Fatin grins down at her. Leah licks her lips, and for a moment, she can only stare up at Fatin, taking in her features the best she can in the dark. With a pounding heart, she reaches up to hook her knuckle under Fatin's chin and gently pull her closer.

Fatin's breath hitches when their lips stop a centimetre apart, and Leah flicks her gaze up to meet her eyes. "May I?" She whispers, and Fatin swallows, nodding.

"Yes."

As soon as the word leaves Fatin's lips in a breathless whisper, Leah closes the distance. She tilts her chin up and captures Fatin's lips in a tender kiss. It only lasts a few seconds, and it's only a press of lips, but for Leah, it has her pulse racing and already craving more.

When they pull back, Fatin is staring down at her in awe, and then a slow smile spreads across her face, and she leans down to kiss Leah again.

It's slow and a little messy, but the lack of urgency in no way dictates the level of passion. For Leah, this is the hottest kiss she has ever experienced, and Fatin knows exactly how to leave her wanting more. Her lips are demanding but soft, and when Leah opens her mouth to deepen the kiss, Fatin lets her take the lead.

Somehow Leah ends up on top of Fatin in the heat of the moment, and when they pull back for air, she is left dazed, something that has never happened before. She blinks quickly and clears her throat before she focuses on Fatin, taking pride in the fact that she seems just as unsteady.

"Fuck, that was hot," Fatin rasps, and Leah chuckles, leaning down to capture Fatin's lips again.

"You are an excellent kisser," She admits, and Fatin immediately looks smug.

"I know. But you are definitely better. You gave me a run for my money, and I'm officially addicted."

Leah laughs quietly and lets Fatin pull her down, so they are cuddling. They fall into a comfortable silence, and Leah sighs, letting herself sink into Fatin's warmth, burying her face into her neck.

"Hey, Lee?" Fatin murmurs, and Leah hums. "Does that Jeff guy have anything to do with why you were kicked out?"

The question is gentle and more hesitant than Fatin usually allows herself to be, but Leah appreciates it.

"Yes," Leah admits quietly, her stomach clenching. She doesn't want to think about Jeff, not when she and Fatin just had their first kiss.

"Okay," Fatin replies like that is all she wanted to know, but Leah knows she is curious.

"Tomorrow. Tomorrow I will tell you everything."

Fatin nods and wraps her arms tight around Leah as sleep slowly consumes her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that finally happened, huh? 
> 
> You're welcome ;)
> 
> Thank you all for the love, you are so freaking amazing. <3


	11. month four pt.3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leah tells Fatin about Jeff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: some graphic descriptions of physical, emotional and sexual abuse so please read with caution if you are triggered but such things.
> 
> Thank you all for the lovely comments and kudos I see them all and thoroughly enjoy hearing your opinions on each chapter.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this update :)
> 
> Also sorry about any mistakes I skimmed this; too tired to do a thorough re-read.

Fatin is concerned that Leah may regret what happened last night, that the whole thing unfurled that way because her emotions were heightened, and she wanted to feel better. Her thoughts aren't unwarranted, to be fair, especially when she wakes up in Leah's bed alone.

Her stomach drops immediately, and panic sets in, but she forces herself to take a deep breath. Leah is probably in the kitchen or living room. She is dealing with a lot and most likely needed some time to herself to let everything sink in.

Her suspicions are confirmed when she shuffles into the living room and finds Leah curled up on the sofa wrapped in a blanket and holding a mug of tea in both hands. Her eyes are dull, and she looks like she barely slept. She doesn't see Fatin immediately as she stares off in a daze, and Fatin bites the inside of her cheek as she slowly moves to the couch.

"Lee?" She whispers, reaching out to tap Leah's foot as she sits next to her, and the reaction is immediate.

Leah jolts and looks up at her sharply, taking a moment to recognize who is sitting with her. "Fatin, hey."

Fatin sends her a small smile and tries to keep her insecurities from showing as she studies Leah's face. "Are you okay?" She asks, and Leah shrugs, looking down at her mug.

"Just thinking. I didn't let myself dwell on Jeff's arrest last night, but I looked up the case early this morning."

Fatin frowns when Leah hands her phone over, and as she peers down at the screen, she finds a news article waiting to be read.

_Award-Winning Novelist Jeffrey Galanis Arrested on Three Counts of Sexual Coercion and Sexual Assault Involving Minors._

Fatin's throat dries, and she looks up at Leah sharply. Leah sends her a bitter smile before taking a long sip of her tea, her eyes drifting to the fireplace.

"Galanis? Didn't he come to our school to talk about some book?" Fatin asks, and Leah's lips flatten into a grim line.

"Yep. And I was the girl who volunteered to drive him home that night," Leah murmurs, her eyes finding Fatin's.

Fatin's heart is pounding too hard, and her mind is spinning too fast for her to even think of a response, and Leah seems to notice because she continued, answering the question she can't ask.

"Yes, I was in a relationship with him. And it was Ian who took compromising photos of us and sent them to my parents. That's why I was kicked out. I also realize how fucked up the whole thing is, so there is no need to point it out. He groomed me for months, and during that time, I thought I decided on my own that I wanted to take the next step, but it was really his manipulation that lured me into it. I was in so deep during the talking stage that I even lied about my age. I told him I had just turned eighteen, the week before we had sex. I had only turned seventeen."

Fatin inhales sharply and has to clench her jaw to keep her anger in check. That fucker.

"He made me feel special," Leah murmurs, her fingers tracing the lip of the mug. "He always treated me as if I was much older than my age, and that should have been the first red flag. No adult in my life has ever seen me as anything other than a kid. Then came the constant compliments and little love notes. God, thinking about it now, I can't believe how stupid I was. As if that wasn't enough, he told me he loved me three weeks into the relationship. He barely knew me. I showed him the parts of me he would like, but nothing real. I stopped reading my favourite books because he said they were stupid. I started dressing sexier and listening to his trash music recommendations rather than the stuff I enjoyed. He took over everything, and I didn't realize it until the end. Honestly, Ian did me a favour by sending my birth certificate to Jeff. He saved me from hell. But that doesn't change the fact that he went too far with sending those pictures to my parents."

"Fuck Leah," Fatin mutters, running a hand through her hair roughly, and Leah swallows, braving a glance towards her.

"You still want to date me?" She jokes, but it falls flat, and Fatin's face softens when she sees the genuine worry in Leah's eyes.

"Of course I do. I have had a crush on you for over two years now. I'm not letting anything ruin my chance with you, now that I know you feel the same," Fatin says, scooting closer to a surprised Leah.

"Two years?"

Fatin smiles and leans in to press a soft kiss to the corner of Leah's mouth. "Hell yeah. You saved me from a day of humiliation, Rilke. That leaves an impression on a girl. Not everyone would sacrifice their sweater to help hide the evidence of someone's time of the month."

Leah grins a little and nudges her nose against Fatin's cheek. "I can't believe you remember that."

"Oh, I didn't just remember Rilke. I kept the sweater, and from that day on, I noticed you every time you were near. Not to sound too stalkerish, but I was obsessed with you. I thought you were the most breathtaking girl in school and was always annoyed that Ian was hanging around you so much. I tried a few times to talk to you, but he always appeared out of nowhere before I could get too close."

"I knew I recognized that hoodie in the back of your closet," Leah teases, but her cheeks burn red, and Fatin smiles.

"You're not getting it back."

Leah chuckles and leans in to press a soft kiss to Fatin's lips. "That's okay. I don't need it."

Fatin hums in acknowledgment before closing the gap between them again, this time capturing Leah's lips in a firmer kiss. For a moment, they get lost in each other, their lips moving against each others' languidly before Leah pulls back slightly, catching her breath.

"I know I already said a lot about Jeff, but I promised you last night that I would tell you everything, and you haven't heard it all yet," She murmurs, resting her forehead against Fatin's.

"I'm going to want to kill him even more after I hear the rest of this, aren't I?" Fatin sighs and Leah grimaces.

"Probably yeah."

"That fucker is lucky he has been arrested already," Fatin grumbles, and Leah sends her a soft smile before leaning forward to set her mug on the coffee table.

When she settles back into the couch, she burrows into Fatin's side and lifts her blanket, so it is covering them both. Fatin wraps her in a tight embrace and rests her chin on Leah's head as she settles in, ready to listen, her feet coming up to rest on the table.

"The rest isn't pretty, so I apologize in advance," Leah whispers, reaching up to pick at her eyebrow, and Fatin is quick to grasp her hand and link their fingers together.

"No need to apologize for telling your story. No matter how ugly it gets, I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. I want to hear what you have to say," She says, brushing her lips across Leah's temple, and Leah relaxes a little.

"Okay. Well, as I was saying, it was hell. I was trapped in this relationship, with what seemed like no escape at the time. Of course, reflecting on it now, I could have easily told him we were done, and if he threatened me, I could pull the minor card. Luckily Ian was invested enough to try and break us up. For his own gain, of course, but it worked. Jeff freaked when he received my birth certificate, and by that time, I was done. I wanted out. He had destroyed my self-esteem, my passion for the things I loved, and just my overall view of the world. I hated myself. I hated my life. That feeling only intensified after the last few times we were intimate."

Leah stops talking abruptly, and Fatin peers down at her in concern, finding her clenching and unclenching her jaw as she stares off into space. Fatin presses a soft kiss to Leah's hair and then to her temple, lingering for a moment as she allows Leah to collect herself. Inhaling deeply, Leah unlocks her jaw and shifts further into Fatin's embrace.

"He was drunk. The last two weeks of our relationship, he, for whatever reason, started drinking heavily and would get rough with me. He would grip my wrists so hard he left bruises or shake me so hard I thought my neck would snap. He just got so angry, no matter what I did or said, he would find a reason to go off and yell in my face. And when I refused to let him touch me, he forced me into bed. He shoved my face into the mattress and used my body until he was satisfied. He even went as far as forgoing a condom. The first time that happened, he told me to leave right after, and I had never felt so disgusting in my life. I felt worthless and dirty and like I was some object to be used is discarded."

Fatin's throat constricts, and Leah pauses to take a few deep breaths, her gaze entirely focused on Fatin's hand wrapped around hers.

"Of course, the next day, he was all apologetic and begged me to forgive him, and I know I should have told him to fuck off, but I couldn't find it in me to care. So I went back. And two nights later, the same thing happened. He got drunk and pissed off, and he forced himself on me. That time he didn't tell me to leave. He made me stay and instead carried me to the bathroom and set me in the tub. I don't know what his thought process was, but he turned on the taps and let the water fill the tub until it was to my chest. He then sat next to me and cried. He cried and pleaded for my forgiveness again, telling me he would be better, that he wouldn't drink anymore and that he would never use such force on me again. I couldn't do anything but stare at him as I sat shivering in the water."

It takes everything in Fatin not to explode right then. She wants to track Galanis down and beat the shit out of him for ever laying a hand on Leah. And the way Leah is talking, it's like she has detached herself from the whole thing. Like she is explaining the plot of a fucking movie and not an abusive relationship she was in just over four months ago. Guilt curdles in Fatin's gut as she worries that she made her move on Leah too early. Now that she knows about her past, she can't help but be afraid she pushed Leah into something she is not wholly prepared for.

"It was hot, but I was shaking as if it was ice cold. He took my lack of response as my acceptance of his apology, and when he composed himself, he cleaned me up. I left in the middle of the night and didn't answer his calls or texts for four days. Finally, he got fed up and showed up at my house close to midnight on a Friday. He threatened to honk and wake my parents if I didn't come down. So I went. He got me in his car and drove me to his apartment. This was the first time I didn't have my car with me, and I knew I was fucked. He didn't speak the entire drive, and I could smell the booze on him. He didn't waste time when we got inside. He slammed me up against the door and shoved my pants down. He ignored my pleas for him to stop and proceeded to violate me. It was the most painful out of all our time together. I wasn't aroused. There was nothing to help make the process more comfortable, and he didn't care. He took what he wanted, and he didn't stop. It was like he was almost manic. He was desperate, and each time, he wanted more. He didn't slow down for nearly two hours. I found out later he had taken some pills that had him more eager than the previous times. Two days later, Ian outed me, and then three more after that, he sent those pictures. My parents didn't even try to listen to my side of the story. They made assumptions and called me a slut, and disowned me on the spot. Said I wasn't their daughter any longer because they didn't raise me to open my legs like some prostitute. My father hauled me out of the house and said to find a street corner if I wanted to whore around, and then he slammed the door in my face. My mom stood behind him, not saying a word. She didn't give a fuck. And so I left and ran into you twenty minutes later."

The silence is deafening when Leah trails off, and Fatin's heart is thundering in her chest and ears. She has never been so furious, not even when she discovered her dad's affair and him blaming her for sending that photo to everyone in his contact list. No, that is petty shit compared to what Leah has just told her, and she has no idea what to do with this rage at the moment. She wants to hit something or scream, but this isn't about her. This is about Leah, and she needs Fatin to be level-headed and supportive. She has experienced enough violence with Jeff; she doesn't need her losing her shit, even if it is on her behalf. So instead, she sucks in a deep breath and holds it until her lungs burn. She counts to seven in her head as she releases it, and only when her body isn't coiled tight, she lets her gaze fall to Leah.

In the minutes of silence, Leah has pulled away from Fatin slightly, now pushed into the arm of the couch instead and is gripping the edge of it so hard her knuckles are white. She doesn't look in Fatin's direction, almost as if she is scared of what she will say, and Fatin's heart breaks a little.

Slowly Fatin slips off the couch, and Leah stiffens, bracing herself for Fatin to walk off, but instead, she kneels before Leah, reaching up to cup her face tenderly. Leah's eyes open quickly, and she meets Fatin's soft gaze, her hand gripping the couch, relaxing immediately.

"There is nothing I can say that will get across how sorry I am that you had to go through all of that. Or how upset I am that Jeff and your parents treated you so horribly. I can't even imagine how you managed to get through it on your own, but I am so glad you did. And I am so fucking happy I ran into you that night. I don't even want to think of what would have happened if I hadn't. You're my family Rilke, no matter our relationship, and you will always have a home here. And no one will fucking touch you like that again or treat you with such disrespect as long as I am around. I know words don't mean much, but I swear to you, Leah, that I will not lay a hand on you, nor will I yell or degrade you the way he has. I want you to feel safe with me, and even if you suddenly realize you aren't ready for a relationship, I want you to tell me. I don't care if you think I will be upset; your comfort comes first. Nothing you do could ever have me angry with you," Fatin whispers fiercely, her throat tight, and Leah's eyes fill with tears as she grips Fatin's wrists desperately.

"Thank you. And you are the one person I know will never hurt me. I know it's not in your nature. You are always so considerate and gentle, and it means the world to me. You make me feel safe, and I am sure in my decision when I tell you, Fatin Jadmani, that I want you. I want us. What happened with Jeff will never be a reason for me to back out of this. You are completely separate from him, and I never want you to think you are anything like he was. I chose you because I want to be with you, not because I felt pressured or lonely. This isn't something I decided on a whim. It was slow-building, and that on its own is already a sign you are so much better for me."

"Fuck, are you trying to make me cry, Rilke?" Fatin rasps as tears blur her vision, and Leah releases a wet chuckle.

"That wasn't my intention, but I do like not being the only one crying."

Fatin smiles and quickly wipes her eyes so she can see Leah more clearly. "I'll always cry with you; just say the word."

Leah's smile is small but genuine as she leans forward to press their foreheads together. "I think we've had enough crying for a little while. I think what I need right now is a cuddle buddy instead. And maybe a kiss or two. And you are the best at providing both."

"I better be," Fatin teases, and Leah hums right before she closes the distance. Her lips latch onto Fatin's, soft at first but quickly becomes heated when Leah fists Fatin's shirt and tugs her closer.

A fire ignites in Fatin's lower stomach when Leah swipes her tongue across her bottom lip before nipping at it. Leah's teeth sink in seconds later and tug, pulling a gasp from Fatin, and she welcomes the tongue that slips into her mouth. She presses her lips harder into Leah's and slides her hands up the side of Leah's thighs, conscious not to place them anywhere too intimate that would make her uncomfortable.

The running of feet on the hardwood startle them a minute later, and Fatin immediately pulls back, gasping for air. Arry must be awake.

Leah blinks and looks towards the hall just in time for Arry to burst in, still dressed in his Spiderman pyjamas and carrying his stuffed sloth that Leah got him a month ago. He pauses when he sees them but immediately grins and launches himself onto the couch, crawling into Leah's lap, forcing Fatin to sit back on her heels before standing and taking the space next to them.

"You watching cartoons too?" Arry asks innocently, peering up at Leah with wide eyes before turning his gaze on Fatin, who presses her lips together, trying not to focus on the heat creeping up her neck.

"Yeah, buddy, that's what we were about to do," She says, tapping his foot, and he beams.

"Paw Patrol?" He asks excitedly, and Fatin nearly groans. She hates that show. But Leah is nodding and grabbing the remote before she can argue. So she settles into the couch, trying to hide her displeasure, while Arry curls up further in Leah's lap, eager to watch his show.

A few minutes into the episode, Fatin's brain is already melting, but Leah's hand intertwines with hers, and she looks over curiously.

Leah sends her a soft smile before shifting so she can rest her head on her shoulder. Fatin grins a little and wraps her arm around Leah and sighs, settling in for an extended episode of Paw Patrol that she has seen half a dozen times.


	12. month five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leah's anger emerges.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, kids, I'm back!  
> I finally got this chapter done, thank god, and somehow managed to make it nearly 5000 words (whoop!)  
> I hope you enjoy this update and thank you for all the amazing support, your comments and kudos always make my day.

After learning about Jeff, Fatin knew she shouldn't have let her guard down when it came to her worry for Leah's mental state. But after their talk, Leah had been lighter than she had ever seen her, and Fatin believed her when she said she was feeling good, that she didn't have to worry.

It's been a month since Jeff's arrest, and more girls are continuing to come forward with allegations against him. A total of five girls, including the three from the news article, are now involved, and Fatin asked Leah once if she was going to do the same, but she shut her down with a big fat 'no.' She didn't bring it up again after that, not wanting to upset Leah.

What she hadn't realized was that Leah was obsessively checking the news for any updates regarding the case, which was a lapse in judgement on Fatin's part because, of course, Leah is going to check. Why the hell wouldn't she?

But Fatin got swept up in their new dynamic with Leah's bright smiles and breathless kisses and let herself believe she was enough of a distraction for her.

She was not, and now she is cleaning up the shattered remains of Leah's bathroom mirror while Rana looks over Leah's bloody hand in the bedroom.

Fatin feels so fucking stupid for being blindsided by the sudden shift in Leah's demeanour. She had noticed that Leah was more withdrawn during the past couple of days than usual, but she hadn't expected this to be the outcome.

And, of course, she can thank Jeff Galanis for that.

_Fatin is in the kitchen fixing Leah and herself a snack to tide them over until dinner when she hears Leah shout from her bedroom._

_"Fuck!"_

_Her brows raise in surprise before frowning in concern a few seconds later. She shoves the food onto the counter before running down the hall. She bursts into Leah's room, eyes wild, and they land on the bathroom door left wide open. She blinks when she finds Leah pacing inside._

_She has just taken a step in that direction when Leah stops abruptly and whirls towards the sink. Her fist cuts through the air too fast for Fatin to understand what is happening, but when Leah's knuckles connect with the mirror, her mouth falls open in shock._

_"Fuck!" Leah shouts again as she wrenches her hand back, which snaps Fatin out of her frozen state. She closes the distance in four long strides, and then she has Leah in her arms, carefully leading her out of the bathroom, trying to avoid as much glass as possible as Leah clutches her bleeding hand to her chest._

_She sits Leah on the end of the bed before she runs back into the bathroom to grab the handtowel. Fatin walks back to the bed, kneels before Leah, and gently reaches for her hand, glancing up at her face for any indication that she is hurting her as she wraps the towel around it, but Leah doesn't react at all._

_"Lee?" Fatin whispers, ducking her head to try and catch Leah's gaze, but she is unresponsive. Her eyes are blank, and her face drained of colour as she stares down at her injured hand._

_"What is going on in here?" Rana asks as she enters the room, looking bewildered before her eyes fall on the blood-soaked towel. "Oh, Leah honey," She sighs before rushes over, and Fatin lets her mom take over, putting pressure on Leah's hand._

_"I'm going to clean up the glass," Fatin mumbles, and Rana nods._

_"Can you grab the first aid kit, honey? It should be under the kitchen sink."_

_"I will," Fatin says, standing and pressing a quick kiss to the top of Leah's head before heading to the kitchen._

_Leah is nodding along to whatever Rana is whispering when she returns, and her eyes flick towards Fatin when she sets the first aid kit on the bed but immediately drops her gaze a second later._

_Fatin's stomach twists, and she bites the inside of her cheek as she takes the broom to the bathroom to sweep up the glass._

"Fatin sweetie," Rana says, stopping in the doorway of the bathroom, startling Fatin out of her thoughts, and she looks up quickly from where she is crouched, sweeping the pile of glass into the dustpan. "It looks like Leah's going to need a few stitches. I'm going to take her to the hospital."

Fatin's eyes widen, and she quickly stands up, leaning the broom against the counter. "Okay, let me just dump this and-"

"Honey," Rana whispers, interrupting her and Fatin's expression drops when she catches the sympathetic look in her mom's eyes. "She asked that I take her alone. I'm sorry, baby. Try not to take it to heart, she's not in a good headspace, and I think she is feeling embarrassed about her outburst."

Fatin's throat tightens, and she nods once, her lips twisting into a tight smile. "Sure, mom. I'll uh- I'll watch the boys until you guys get back."

Rana sends her a sad smile and walks over, reaching out to cup Fatin's cheeks. "She will be okay." Fatin nods again, and Rana presses her lips to her forehead. "I will keep you updated. We shouldn't be too long. So try not to worry."

"I'll try," Fatin murmurs, and Rana sends her another small smile before she leaves her to finish cleaning up the bathroom.

She watches as Rana helps Leah to her feet and leads her out of the room, Leah not glancing back in Fatin's direction once. Fatin's jaw clenches, and she glances towards the shattered mirror, suddenly feeling the need to punch something too. Things were going well. Why the fuck did everything have to go to shit? Fatin takes a deep breath to calm the anger bubbling up in her chest and grabs the broom to finish sweeping up.

Guess she is buying a new mirror today.

//

The boys eagerly follow her around the store as she searches for a decent mirror to replace the one Leah broke.

"Why did Mama and Leah leave?" Sam asks curiously, and Fatin sighs. She had been waiting for one of them to ask that. She's just surprised it took them to be in the middle of Homesense for it to be asked.

"Leah hurt her hand, so Mama took her to the hospital," Fatin says, stopping in front of a large mirror with a thick black frame. It looks to be the same size as the one at home. She had forgotten to measure it in her haste to escape the house, eager for a distraction from her racing thoughts.

"How did she hurt her hand?" Arry asks, peering up at Fatin with a crinkle between his brows, and she sends him a small smile, running her hand over his hair.

"Cut it on some glass. But she will be okay and home soon enough."

"We should bake her cookies," Sam pipes up, and Fatin glances at him in surprise. "Cookies are always nice to get when you are hurt."

Fatin chuckles and nods. "Sure, buddy, when we get home, we can bake Leah cookies. For now, I need you to help me with this mirror."

With Sam's help, they manage to get the large mirror in the cart and head for the checkout. On their way out to the car, Fatin catches sight of the Toys "R" Us across the street and decides the boys deserve a treat. So once she gets the mirror in the trunk and the boys buckled in, she drives across and parks, earning excited gasps from the boys.

"We are getting a toy?" Arry asks and turns in her seat to face them both, winking.

"Yeah, why not? We have some time to kill," She says, and they beam up at her.

Once out of the car, the boys grab her hands and drag her across the parking lot while she rolls her eyes fondly. She lets them lead her through the aisles and gives them each a limit of three items. That decision gets her two identical cheers before they sandwich her in a bear hug.

As Arry and Sam stop at the lego section, Fatin lets her eyes drift, taking in the nerf guns and Disney crap before her gaze lands on the large section of stuffed animals. Specifically the large grey elephant on the top shelf.

Making sure the boys are still in sight, she quickly walks over to the shelf and pushes up on her tiptoes to try and grab the stuffed animal. She glares up at the elephant when she fails to reach and immediately, she is looking for Arry.

"Arry!" She calls, and he whips around immediately, looking at her expectantly. "Come over here; I need you to reach something for me."

He nods and runs to her side, allowing her to lift him by the legs like they've done plenty of times before.

"What am I getting?" He asks, arms outstretched and ready.

"The elephant to the right," Fatin replies, and he quickly snatches it, hugging it to his chest as she lowers him to the ground.

He holds it up to her proudly, and she grins, pressing a kiss to his head. "Thanks, buddy. You can go back to looking at your legos."

"You're welcome!" He says with a wide smile before running back to Sam, who is waiting for him, a box in hand.

Fatin looks down at the elephant in her hands and immediately marvels at how soft it is. She smiles slightly as she tucks it under her arm before heading towards her brothers, who are moving on to the selection of nerf guns.

//

Even with the stop at Toys "R" Us, they arrive home before Rana and Leah. Fatin immediately heads for Leah's room with the new mirror. She removes the broken one and takes it to the garage, setting it next to the garbage bins before heading back and after struggling to hang the mirror that is wider than her arm span and heavy thanks to the solid frame she chose, Fatin calls for Sam.

He has to sit on the counter to reach the wall above the sink, but they manage to place it on the hooks, and Fatin is proud of her choice in the mirror. It is sleek and modern, perfect for Leah's bathroom.

After that, she and the boys move to the kitchen to bake the cookies Sam mentioned they make for Leah. It's a messy affair, and all of them end up with flour in their hair and on their face and clothes, but it's worth it when she pulls the pan out and sees the perfectly crisp chocolate chip cookies.

She lets the boys have two before she places them in a container once they have cooled. When Rana and Leah finally arrive home, it is nearly seven-thirty, and Rana is carrying takeout.

She had texted Fatin at six to let her know that Leah was just being admitted and not worry about dinner; they would be bringing something home.

Arry has no qualms about giving Leah space when she steps into the kitchen. He runs right up to her and slams into her legs, pulling a small grunt from her as she steadies herself. Fatin watches from the hallway entrance as she smiles slightly and places her hand on his head when he looks up at her.

"We made you cookies," Arry says with a grin and Leah's eyes widen.

"You did? You didn't have to do that."

"We wanted to," Sam says, moving to hug Leah too, and she wraps her good arm around him.

"Well, thank you. I look forward to eating them all," She says with a wink and Arry giggles.

"We already had two," He whispers loudly, and Rana raises her brows in Fatin's direction, her lips twitching.

"What? You already ate my cookies without me?" Leah gasps and the boys grin up at her. "Well, then no more for you. They are all mine now."

"We will just make more," Fatin says, finally entering the room fully, and Leah's eyes meet hers briefly, and Fatin's heart jumps when she meets those blue eyes.

But then Leah once again lets her gaze drop, and Fatin's hurt quickly fades to exasperation. She hates not being able to read Leah, and she needs to know what the hell is going on.

"Cookies can wait," Rana says from the kitchen table where she has laid out the takeout. "Come and eat some real dinner."

Fatin doesn't want to admit to being petty, but her annoyance at being dismissed by Leah has her purposefully sitting next to Sam instead of her usual spot beside Leah. She ignores her mother's intense gaze boring into the side of her face and Leah's uncomfortable shifting as she piles food onto her plate.

Fatin can tolerate a lot, but the silent treatment is not something she can stand. So until Leah is ready to actually look her in the face for more than a second and speak to her, she will give her space. Fatin knows when she is not wanted around.

//

She goes to bed early that night, excusing herself from the living room when the second movie they chose to watch begins. Her mother sends her a concerned look, and she feels Leah's gaze on her back as she kisses the boys goodnight before exiting.

She goes through her nighttime routine mechanically, and after ten minutes, she is curled up in her bed with her earbuds in.

She closes her eyes and tries to get her mind to shut off, but the tension between her and Leah keeps her from completely relaxing.

She reviews the past few days, wondering what she could have done to have Leah pulling away. Has she been too overbearing or clingy? God, she fucking hopes not. Clingy is the last thing she wants to be. But when it comes to Leah, she craves her presence, and she finds herself constantly being drawn into her space. Maybe she should work on having more self-control around Leah.

Fingers brushing a strand of hair out of her face has Fatin's eyes flying open, her heart pounding, and she relaxes a little when she realizes it's Leah.

"Fuck," Fatin mutters, tugging out an earbud, her music blasting through it. "You scared the shit out of me."

Leah's lips twitch, and she pulls her hand back, much to Fatin's displeasure. "Sorry. I knocked and called your name before I noticed you had your headphones in."

Fatin swallows roughly and sits up slowly, resting against the headboard, recognizing this is the first time Leah has spoken to her in nearly five hours. And hasn't looked away from her.

"It's fine. Um, what is it you need?" She asks hesitantly, and Leah grimaces.

"To apologize." Fatin blinks in surprise, and Leah sends her a wry smile before continuing. "I've been a giant bitch to you today, and I am so fucking sorry. But I need you to know that you have done absolutely nothing wrong. Hell, you are practically perfect in the way you treat me."

"Lee," Fatin sighs, shaking her head, and Leah meets her gaze, a sad smile on her face.

"I hurt you. I swore to myself I would never do that, and I fucked it up. I couldn't face you after what I did, and I- I'm so sorry. I never wanted you to see me like that. I never wanted to accept I had that anger in me, but I do. I am so angry. All the time. And now that Jeff's charges are being dropped, I snapped and-"

Fatin's stomach drops, and she straightens immediately, her hand reaching out to grasp Leah's thigh tightly, interrupting her. "What?" She hisses, leaning forward, and Leah's brows furrow for a second before understanding dawns on her face.

"Oh. Um yeah, the girls' families have decided to drop the charges in exchange for a settlement. He has to pay each girl like fifty-thousand dollars each or something," Leah mutters, and Fatin's mouth drops open in disbelief.

"No. That's- that can't happen. He can't just get away with it," Fatin splitters, and Leah chuckles bitterly.

"The evidence they had against him was circumstantial at best; even if they went to trial, he most likely would have won."

"No. No," Fatin hisses, scrambling off the bed, and Leah watches her in concern as she begins to pace. "That fucker doesn't get to do that to you, and those girls and only have to pay some bullshit sum of money. He deserves to be behind bars. He is a fucking pedophile, he is dangerous, and he can't just-"

Fatin stops abruptly when Leah's hand grips her wrist gently, tugging her to a halt in front of her place where she's sitting on the bed. Fatin looks down at her, and Leah swallows roughly.

"Those girls may not have hard evidence, but I do."

Fatin frowns, not registering the words at first, but when she does, her eyes widen in shock. Leah nods slowly and stands, reaching up to cup Fatin's cheeks, her bandaged hand feeling a little weird against Fatin's skin.

"I've been thinking about it over the past month, ever since you asked if I was going to come forward, and in the beginning, it wasn't even a question. I was dead set against it, but after learning today that he's about to walk free? I don't want that to happen. I can't have him roaming out there, finding more girls to hurt the same way he did to me. So when I was at the hospital today, your mom and I discussed it, and she is going to find me the best lawyer, and I'm going to come forward and fight him. Hopefully, if I do, the rest of the girls will decide not to take those settlements and take the stand with me."

"Holy shit," Fatin breathes, staring at Leah. "Holy fucking shit. I know this is probably not the most appropriate time to say this, but I have never been more attracted to you than I am in this moment, Leah Rilke."

A startled laugh burst from Leah, and Fatin grins widely.

"What? How?"

"Because," Fatin whispers, stepping further into Leah's space, and Leah lets her hands slip from Fatin's face to the back of her neck. "You are a badass woman, choosing to fight to keep other girls safe, and that is some hero shit, Rilke. It's incredibly hot. I am proud of you for stepping up. You're so fucking brave."

Leah immediately shakes her head. "I'm not-"

"You are," Fatin says, cutting Leah off. "You are so courageous and strong and inspiring. I am in awe of you. You've survived everything that prick threw at you, and I know you are going to hand him his ass in court. You've got this, and I will be there every step of the way."

Leah's eyes water, and she sends Fatin a small smile. "I don't deserve you," She whispers, and Fatin softens, pressing her forehead to Leah's.

"You do. You deserve everything good, and I want to be the one to give it to you. I want to prove to you that real love isn't what he showed you."

Leah's eyes burn into Fatin's. It's the first time they have come even remotely close to talking about love, and Fatin's chest flutters nervously. It wasn't an outright declaration because she knows both of them aren't exactly there yet. They've been dating for only a month and been friends for four more, but she is close. She fell face first, and she is still falling. But each day that passes, she is getting closer to hitting the ground. She just hopes Leah is there to catch her.

"I want to be that for you too," Leah finally says, and Fatin sends her a smile, the unspoken words clear. She is falling just like Fatin.

"Good," She whispers, brushing her lips against Leah's.

"We should talk more about earlier," Leah murmurs, and Fatin pouts but nods along, earning a soft smile from Leah.

She pulls back and grabs Fatin's hands, tugging her back to the bed, and they both crawl up to the headboard, but instead of Leah curling up against Fatin's side, she sits cross-legged and turns to face her.

"First, I'd like to say thank you for the elephant," Leah says with a smile, and Fatin grins. "She is adorable, and I love her already. I also want to thank you for the mirror. You didn't have to do that, but I really appreciate it."

Fatin squeezes Leah's good hand in response, and Leah takes a deep breath before continuing.

"And about earlier... I'm messed up. Like so fucked Fatin. I tried to ignore everything that happened with Jeff as if that would make it go away, but it didn't. Of course, it didn't. I buried it, and all the anger I felt I let rot inside me. This is terrible to say, but you are probably the only thing keeping me sane over the months. I know that's not healthy; I can't rely on you to fix my problems or pretend that our relationship is a cure-all because it's not. I need to face the trauma, not run from it because if I don't get a handle on it, what happened today will happen again, and I don't want to one day explode, and you be on the receiving end of it. I would never forgive myself. It was bad enough that you saw me lose it today. You don't need that. You deserve me to take charge of my own shit and not depend on you to put out the fires. So I am going to start seeing a therapist. I should have taken your mom up on the offer the first day, but I was stupid and thought I was better than that. But none of this means I want to break up with you or anything in that nature. That is the last thing I want. But do you think you could take a step back when it comes to trying to solve my problems?"

Fatin swallows as everything in her wants to dismiss even the thought of letting Leah handle her problems on her own. She wants to help her through it all, but she can see a difference between supporting Leah as she solves her own problems and completely taking over to shield her from the pain.

"Yeah," Fatin whispers roughly, clearing her throat as she holds Leah's gaze. "Yeah, I can do that. I hadn't realized that's what I was doing, but you're right. It's not healthy for either of us for me to be taking on everything for you. No matter how much I want to. I guess I like to be needed and feel helpless when I can't actively do anything to help."

Leah's features soften, and she runs her thumb over Fatin's bottom lip briefly before pressing a sweet kiss to the corner of her mouth. "I will always need you, Fatin, but now, instead of being my fix-it girlfriend, you can just be my girlfriend who supports me in difficult situations by being so amazingly sweet and thoughtful as well as incredibly smart when it comes to giving advice."

Fatin's lips pull up in a tiny grin, and Leah matches her smile, seeming to know already what is about to come out of Fatin's mouth.

"Girlfriend, huh?"

"Yeah, girlfriend. I'm tired of referring to you as the-girl-I-constantly-kiss-and-sleep next to-who-I-totally-having-deep-feelings-for. It's quite a mouthful."

Fatin's grin widens, and she surges forward, capturing Leah's lips in a hard kiss. "As much as I love that title, I think that girlfriend is certainly an upgrade," She whispers when she pulls back, and Leah nods quickly before leaning again to close the distance, her lips eager against Fatin's.

After a minute of heated kisses, they pull apart gasping, and when their gazes meet, they laugh quietly.

"Can't keep your hands off me, can you, Rilke?" Fatin says smugly, and Leah smirks.

"Have you seen my girlfriend? Why would I want to?"

Fatin snickers and shakes her head, tucking a piece of hair behind Leah's ear as she says, "God, you sounded so much like Toni right then."

Leah winks and darts forward to press a quick peck to Fatin's lips. "She does have some good oneliners. But don't tell her I said that."

"Your secret is safe with me, babe."

Leah smiles and scoots towards Fatin until she is curled up against her side. Fatin helps her shift under the covers and scoots down until she is comfortably resting against her pillows with Leah's head on her chest.

They are silent for a while as Fatin traces her finger up and down Leah's spine, and Leah wraps her arm tight around Fatin's waist, running her fingers absent-mindedly over her side every once in a while.

"Hey, Lee?" Fatin murmurs, her lips brushing Leah's hair as she speaks, and Leah hums in response, waiting for her to continue. "I know you were upset earlier and had valid reasons for not speaking to me, but in the future, can you not do that? I know it seems stupid, but I really hate being given the silent treatment. My dad would do that when he got angry with me, and it makes me feel like shit. I'd rather you just tell me you need some space to yourself instead of shutting me out."

Leah stops running her fingers over Fatin's side and immediately props herself up on her elbow so she can look down at her, her eyes wracked with guilt.

"That's not stupid. I am so fucking sorry I did that. I was ashamed of my outburst, but that is no excuse to avoid you as I did. I swear I will never do it again. If I ever do need some time to myself, I will tell you. I don't want to make you feel like shit, and that was never my intention today, but I was selfishly focusing on my own feelings and not considering yours, which is terrible. I will do better, I promise."

Fatin swallows roughly and nods, sending Leah a small smile. "Thank you. And apology accepted. I know you would never do it on purpose, and I'm not going to hold today against you; I'm not that fucking petty. I just wanted to make sure you understood I was hurt by it, is all. I can handle blunt fucking rejection being spat in my face but not the silent treatment. Somehow it makes me feel even worse and like I need to walk on eggshells around the person."

Leah nods and reaches up to trace Fatin's jaw lightly as their noses brush.

"I do understand. And now that I know how you feel, I will make sure not to do it. I never want you to feel uneasy around me, or like you did something wrong."

"That's all I ask," Fatin murmurs, and Leah presses a sweet kiss to her nose in response.

Fatin tugs Leah back down with a grin and releases a long sigh, content now that their dynamic is back in order. The tension has disappeared, and she feels better for explaining her issues with being shut out, even if it was vague. She hasn't told anyone about it before, and she is happy Leah is the first to know that detail about her.

"So, how many stitches did you get?" She asks after a moment, and Leah groans, burying her face into Fatin's shoulder in embarrassment, causing Fatin to chuckle and hug her tighter.

"Ten. I split open my index and middle fingers and a couple of my knuckles. I'll have some scarring and some nasty bruising from the impact, but luckily, I didn't dislocate or break anything. So I'll survive."

"You know, scars are incredibly sexy," Fatin says, smirking to herself, and Leah pokes her side in retaliation as a laugh escapes her.

"Shut up."

Fatin snickers and presses a kiss to Leah's hair, letting her eyes fall shut as their conversation hits another lull. They are quiet for so long Fatin thinks Leah has fallen asleep until she hears the barely audible words murmured into her chest.

"Thank you for always being there for me."

Fatin's throat tightens, and she hugs Leah tighter.

"For as long as you want me, Rilke, I will be here."


	13. month six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leah goes to therapy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter and a bit of a filler chapter but necessary for the build-up.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this, and thank you so much for your continuous support. Your comments and kudos make my day!

Leah's knee is bouncing none stop, and she can't keep herself from picking at her eyebrow as her gaze bores into the crooked coaster on the coffee table sitting before her.

She really wants to straighten it.

"When did that nervous tick start?" Dr. Klein asks, and Leah's jaw tightens as she forces her hand to still and lower back into her lap.

When she looks up at the woman, she gnaws on her bottom lip and shrugs.

"Always had it, I guess," Leah mumbles, and Dr. Klein nods, quickly scribbling on her notepad before focusing on her again, sending her a small smile.

"I know this is uncomfortable, Leah, but hopefully, we can develop a good relationship where you can express yourself freely. There is no judgment in this room. I am here to listen and give you my professional opinion and help you overcome your trauma. So if it is alright with you, how about we start with something simple?"

Leah nods slowly and forces herself to relax on the couch but refuses to stop her leg from bouncing. Dr. Klein smiles again, and it eases some of Leah's anxiety. She has told Fatin her story, and if she can do that, she can tell a psychologist.

"Tell me about your favourite childhood memory," Dr. Klein suggests, and Leah's fingers tighten on her thigh for a moment which Gretchen catches but doesn't comment on.

Clearing her throat, Leah sits up straighter and furrows her brow as she thinks of a happy memory.

"I think my favourite would be when I was seven, and my dad gave me a telescope for my birthday. The two of us would always go to the planetarium together on the weekends because I was obsessed with space, and he loved to teach me about all the planets and constellations. It was our thing, and once I got the telescope, we would go to the middle of the backyard and search the sky. Even as I grew older, we managed to carve out time to do it every week at least twice," Leah explains, and Gretchen nods, writing something down before meeting Leah's gaze.

"That sounds lovely. What about any memories involving your mother? Can you think of any?" She asks, and Leah shrugs, letting her gaze drift to the crooked coaster once more.

"The one that comes to mind is the two of us at the park down the street working on soccer drills. She played all through elementary, high school, and college, so naturally, I started young as well. From age three to sixteen, I played, and she was like my personal trainer. So every night, we would go and practice at the park for hours and always end up playing a one-on-one scrimmage."

"Why did you stop playing?" Gretchen asks curiously, and Leah grimaces, glancing up at her.

"I did it to prove a point. It was petty, but she was so invested in it and wanted me to continue to play into college, hopefully on a scholarship, but for me, it wasn't enjoyable anymore. It was more about gaining the attention of scouts than it was about me loving the sport. It felt more like a job than a hobby. She didn't like that, and we argued about it constantly, but I refused to try-out junior year no matter what she said. After that, there was this rift between us," Leah explains, and Gretchen hums, nodding slowly.

"In what way did your dynamic change?" She asks, and Leah chews on the inside of her cheek as she thinks over the past couple of years.

"She stopped taking an interest in me," Leah whispers, and Gretchen frowns, writing down on her notepad as Leah continues. "Like, stopped putting effort into spending time with me. We didn't watch our weekly soccer programs together anymore, go shopping, or go running in the mornings. I started going by myself, but it wasn't the same."

"And how did that make you feel?" Gretchen asks gently, and Leah inhales deeply as she locks eyes with her.

"Angry. And hurt. She has been a constant my entire life and for her to drop me like that was devastating, all because I didn't enjoy a sport as much as she does. It's like she didn't want me to have an opinion of my own, and once I went against her, I wasn't her daughter anymore. The whole thing was just ridiculous and stupid. I never thought her to be that petty."

"It is not stupid, Leah. You'd be surprised how often that sort of thing happens between parents and their children," Gretchen says, and Leah grimaces.

"Yeah, well, it shouldn't."

Gretchen's lips twitch, and she nods in agreement. "It shouldn't. You're right. A parent should never neglect a child. It is selfish and always harms the child's development. Even if they are in their teens, some believe teenagers are no longer in need of such support, but it is critical, and many go without."

Leah swallows roughly, and her knee pauses in its bouncing for a few seconds, which catches Gretchen's attention immediately. When their eyes meet, Leah can see the observant look in her eyes, like she is trying to read her mind and behaviour, curious as to what lies beneath.

"I sense there is much to discuss regarding your parents," Gretchen begins, and Leah immediately stiffens. "But I do not wish to overwhelm you on your first session, so let's move on to a different topic."

Leah's body sags in relief, and she nods quickly, ready to talk about anything but her parents at the moment.

"Who is it that brought you here today?" Gretchen asks instead, and Leah's lips curl up immediately, earning a slight rise of eyebrows from Gretchen.

"Fatin. My girlfriend."

Gretchen smiles and crosses her legs, settling into her chair more comfortably as she searches Leah's face. "Tell me about her. How long have you been together?"

"Um, we have only been together for about a month and a half, and close friends for nearly five."

Gretchen's pen is scratching across the pad of paper immediately, and for some reason, that has Leah's stomach twisting.

"And you are living together, yes?" She asks, and Leah nods slightly, her knee back to bouncing anxiously. "How is that going?"

"Good, I think. I'm aware it's unconventional and definitely seems like a bad idea from an outsider's perspective," Leah rushes to say, and Gretchen's lips twitch.

"Leah, you do not have to convince me of anything. No judgement remember?"

Leah grimaces, and her cheeks burn immediately. "Right. I guess I'm used to having to explain myself to people."

Gretchen nods and sends her a placating smile. "That is completely understandable. Now tell me, how did you two end up in a relationship? Was it sudden or gradual?" She asks, and Leah's brows furrow in thought.

"To me, it was gradual. For four months, we learned things about each other, and she was pretty much my only friend for the first few weeks of me moving in, but now we have a big circle of friends. Fatin did admit to having a crush on me for over two years, but that was after we made it official. I don't know, it was gradual, but there was always an underlying tension between us. I wasn't so oblivious to not realize there could be more, but I wasn't ready for any relationship. It wasn't until last month Fatin confessed her feelings. She tried weeks before that but got interrupted by our friend, and then on graduation day, she was going to try again, but her dad ruined it. Though it was that night, she finally told me. But only after she was interrupted by my phone ringing," Leah says with a small chuckle, and Gretchen grins.

"Seems she couldn't catch a break," She says, and Leah shakes her head.

"She made me turn my phone off before continuing."

Gretchen chuckles, and Leah smiles to herself as she remembers how nervous Fatin had been.

"So how does she treat you? Have there been any issues so far?" Gretchen asks, and Leah immediately shakes her head.

"No. Fatin is the only person to treat me well. She is so fucking kind and sweet it blows my mind at times. I never feel like I deserve it or that it will last, but she always proves me wrong. Even during our friendship, which is still there, of course, but even before the new shift in dynamic, she was like that. She is observant, and listens, and cares about me in a way no one ever has. She never judges me or pushes, just supports me no matter what. And she has never raised her voice or hurt me in any way. She is the partner I always dreamed of having, and I still can't believe I have that now. She is the one person I trust wholeheartedly and who I have told everything."

"Sounds like you've found a good one," Gretchen comments, nodding her approval, and Leah smiles.

"I did, finally. Though we did have, or I guess we still do, at least a little bit, have a codependent relationship. I let myself depend on her for a lot, and she craved the feeling of being needed, so we both didn't catch on until I lost my shit the other day and punched a mirror," Leah says quietly, and Gretchen hums thoughtfully, quickly jotting down a few notes before looking back up.

"It is common for couples to become codependent, especially when there is trauma involved, and with your unique situation having you living in her house, I am not surprised you bonded rather quickly and found yourselves absorbed in each other. I am impressed you have recognized the codependency you two are experiencing. It is challenging to pull yourself from the bubble you have created to focus on reality. Without being conscious of your relationship's dependent nature, neither of you would be able to grow to your full potential, and that would hinder you from leading a fulfilling future which I am sure you do not wish for either of you."

Leah shakes her head immediately. "No, I want both of us to follow our passions and not refuse to make them our reality because we can't be apart. I never want Fatin to give up her dream for me, even if we broke up as a result. I would never forgive myself if I kept her from exploring her options."

"That is incredibly mature and selfless of you, Leah," Gretchen praises, and Leah's cheeks flush slightly. "Not many would be able to make such a choice."

"I care about her too much to be selfish."

"Then I have a feeling as long as she feels the same, which I have a feeling she does, you two will do just fine. Continuous communication is important for a healthy relationship," Gretchen replies, and Leah nods.

"We do communicate a lot already. I need it to keep me sane. I never want to assume something in our relationship and be wrong, so Fatin and I talk about our feelings often, which helps me feel secure."

"Good. Very good. Now our hour is almost up, so I won't go into questions about why you punched a mirror," Gretchen says, quirking a brow as Leah ducks her head slightly. "But I think it would be a good place to start next week. So until then, I'd like you to start keeping a journal. Any time something happens, whether it is upsetting or happy, or mundane jot it down, and we will discuss it at the end of our sessions. It will help me start to understand your day-to-day experiences and how you think, which will give me the ability to help you work through your trauma. Does that sound okay?"

"Yes. I can do that," Leah says, and Gretchen sends her a proud smile.

"Until next week, Leah."

//

Fatin gasps as she tries to keep up with Leah, three paces ahead, her giraffe legs clearing more ground than Fatin's.

"God, I hate running," Fatin moans, tilting her head back as she tries to ignore the burning in her lungs and legs.

Leah laughs and glances back, barely out of breath which immediately annoys Fatin. "I said you could sleep in. You didn't have to come with me."

"I know, but how could I miss the opportunity to watch you run in those tight-ass leggings?" Fatin says, gulping air as she speeds up until she is now matching Leah's strides.

Leah laughs again, and after another minute, they reach the house. Fatin immediately stops and hunches over, sucking in shallow breaths as Leah paces in a circle breathing deeply with her arms resting on her head.

"God, I think I'm dying," Fatin gasps, and Leah is quick to reach her side, placing a hand on her back.

"You gotta stand up straight, babe. Your lungs aren't expanding fully in this position," She says, and Fatin groans but forces herself to stand up and suck in a deep breath.

Leah rubs her hand between her shoulder blades while rubbing the heel of her palm against Fatin's diaphragm gently, helping it to stop spasming.

After a couple of minutes, Fatin's breathing slows, and she sighs, stepping into Leah so she can sag against her. Leah immediately wraps her around her and presses a kiss to Fatin's bare shoulder next to her tank top strap.

"Thanks for coming with me," She murmurs, and Fatin hums, nuzzling into Leah's neck, her bone-tired arms limply wrapping about Leah's waist.

"Anything for you gorgeous," Fatin says, and Leah chuckles, rubbing her back.

"How about I make you some breakfast to make up for the torture?"

Fatin nods. "That would be nice. As well as carrying me inside."

Leah pulls back with a grin, and when Fatin meets her gaze, she ducks down to capture her lips sweetly.

"Hop on, Princess," She teases as she turns her back to Fatin and crouches a little. Fatin snickers and immediately jumps, clinging to Leah's shoulders as she is shifted higher up, and then Leah is walking them down the driveway.

Fatin wraps her arms around Leah's neck loosely and ducks her head, so their cheeks are pressed together, and when Leah turns her head, she presses her lips to the corner of her mouth, getting a wide smile in return.

Man, she loves Leah's smiles. This probably explains her waking up at the ass-crack of dawn for the past week to go running. She is a sucker for that half-grin, shining blue eyes, and cute nose crinkle.

She doesn't care, though; she gets to spend time with her girl, which is definitely worth the pain and exhaustion. Getting into shape is just a bonus. You never know when you will need to run for your life to avoid getting murdered or chase after a dog.

//

It's three weeks into summer vacation, and Fatin is bored as hell. Leah is constantly working, which she doesn't mind, but that leaves her at home with nothing to do, especially now that the boys are off at camp for the next month and her mother is working extra hours so she can take an extended vacation once the boys return.

So obviously, Fatin decides hanging around the bookstore is the only option. When she saunters into the store, she immediately spots Nora at the cash register helping a few customers and Shelby working as the barista in the cafe. She doesn't see Dot, but she finds her stocking a shelf in the teen section when she wanders through the stacks.

"Sup bitch," Fatin greets, and Dot looks over with a grin.

"Sup douche. What are you doing here?"

"I'm bored and decided to bug all my friends and maybe browse some literature," Fatin says, and Dot snorts.

"As if you are going to buy a book for yourself. You're probably going to grab a bunch for Leah, if anything."

"You know me so well, Dorothy. But I actually do want to find a book for myself. I want to be able to have something Leah and I can bond over, and reading seems like the best bet."

Dot's brows raise as a slow smirk spreads across her face. "Fuck, you are whipped," She says, and Fatin scoffs.

"Have you seen my girl? How can I not be?"

"God, you two are sickening," Dot mutters as she puts the last two books in her hands on the shelf. "Like worse than Toni and Shelby."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Now help me find a book," Fatin says, linking her arm through Dot's and dragging her towards the adult fiction.

Dot sighs but relents and leads her to their new thrillers and grabs one from the top shelf, slapping it in Fatin's hands. "This is an easy and fast-paced read which will be good for you to start with. The plot twist is great, and its main character is a badass woman."

Fatin grins and immediately shoves it under her arm, not caring to look at the cover or synopsis. She trusts Dot's opinion.

They head down another aisle, and Dot crouches to reach a book on the bottom shelf, handing it to Fatin.

"Historical fiction set in World War II. Best fucking book I've ever read, and you will cry. It's also one of Leah's favourites that she hadn't been able to grab from her house. So I suggest you read it. You'll definitely surprise her," Dot says, and Fatin peers down at the cover, reading the title.

_The Nightingale._

She doesn't get the chance to flip it over and read the back before Dot is walking off, and Fatin scrambles to follow her. When they stop, they are in front of the shelf full of true crime novels.

"How are you with murder and graphic description of gore?" Dot asks, and Fatin smirks.

"Love it. I watch all those true crime documentaries."

Dot grins and immediately pulls out three books to add to Fatin's stack. "The first one is about the Golden State Killer, the second is about Ted Bundy, and the third is absolutely fucked and about a young woman who is kidnapped by a couple while hitchhiking and then held captive in a box under their bed for seven years."

Fatin's eyes widen when she hears the last description and immediately scans the back of the book.

"Oh, that is so fucked. They torture and brainwash her?" Fatin asks, peering up at Dot, who immediately nods.

"Yeah. And that book is written by the girl's own defence attorney. It's wild, dude."

"Oh, I'm definitely reading this first," Fatin says, and Dot grins.

"Sweet. Is that enough books for you?" She asks, and Fatin nods.

"Definitely. Thanks."

"No problem. You planning on sticking around?" Dot asks, and Fatin shrugs.

"I was thinking of getting a coffee and hanging out in the cafe until Leah's shift is over. I can read one of these while I wait," She says, and Dot nods.

"Cool. I'll come to see you on my break."

//

Arms wrapping around her shoulders from behind and lips kissing her cheek pull Fatin from her reading, and she immediately turns to face Leah, grinning.

"Hey, babe."

"Hey yourself," Leah says as she settles into the seat next to her. "What are you reading?"

Fatin looks down at her book and lifts the cover so Leah can read it.

"The Perfect Victim?" Leah says in surprise, and Fatin grins, nodding.

"Yeah. Dot suggested it. It's so messed up, and I love it already. They should totally make a documentary about this case."

"I think they did," Leah says in amusement, and Fatin sits up straighter in excitement.

"What? Oh man, I have to watch it when I'm done reading this."

Leah laughs as she shakes her head fondly, and Fatin slips the folded napkin she was using as a bookmark in between the pages before closing the book and placing it in her bag with the others.

"You got a good haul clearly," Leah points out, and Fatin nods.

"Yeah, I need something to keep me busy. Dot shoved like six books at me, and I didn't question it. Hopefully, her taste in books isn't complete shit."

Leah snickers and links their fingers together as Fatin grabs her cup of coffee and takes a couple of swallows, grimacing when she realizes it is no longer hot.

"Disgusting," She mutters, and Leah grins, lifting Fatin's hand to press a kiss to the back of it.

"I'll get you a new one for the way home," She offers, and Fatin immediately smiles and leans over to kiss Leah hard.

"You're my favourite, Rilke."

"I better be Jadmani," Leah threatens, her lips twitch up, and Fatin hums before leaning in to capture her lips again; this time, Leah's free hand cups her cheek to hold her there for a long moment, their lips moving slowly.

"Okay, that's enough, kids," a voice interrupts, and when they pull back, Toni is standing in front of them with a smirk.

"As if you and Shelby haven't done worse," Fatin scoffs, and Toni's smirk widens, threatening to break into a wide grin.

"Oh, we totally have, but when I'm not apart of the action, I tend to dislike seeing the spit exchange in public," she says, and Leah snorts.

"I thought you would enjoy that Shalifoe. I mean, two hot girls making out? Definitely up your alley, I think."

Fatin snickers as Toni frowns, seeming to re-evaluate her stance on the subject, and Leah grins as she watches her come to a decision.

"You know what, Rilke? You're totally right. Go back to sucking face; I'll sit right here and watch you eagerly," Toni says with a grin as she plops down into the chair across from them.

"No, you won't." Shelby chimes in as she walks up behind Toni, who immediately pouts and looks up at her girlfriend about to respond, but Dot's serious tone interrupts.

"Leah."

Everyone turns to face Dot as she crosses the cafe, and Leah frowns, sharing a glance with Fatin before she stands and meets Dot a few feet away from them.

Without a word, Dot hands Leah her phone, and it takes only three seconds of Leah reading whatever is on the screen for her head to pop up and her eyes to lock on Fatin's.

Horror is the first thing Fatin catches in her eyes before it shifts to fear, and she jumps out of her seat to reach Leah, who immediately grabs onto Fatin's arm.

"We need to go. I- I need to go," Leah stutters, sucking in a deep breath, and Fatin frowns in concern, wrapping her arm around her waist before meeting Dot's worried gaze.

"What's wrong?" Fatin murmurs, brushing a strand of hair behind Leah's ear, and Leah shakes her head, eyes wild.

"My name was leaked. Someone leaked my name Fatin," Leah gasps and Fatin's eyes widen before she snatches Dot's phone from Leah's hand to read the article.

_Berkley High School Student Leah Rilke to Testify Against Accused Sex Offender Jeff Galanis._

"What the actual fuck."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe, gotta love a little cliffhanger, eh?
> 
> Booklist (if any of you are interested in checking out the ones I mentioned):  
> 1\. I'll Be Gone in the Dark- Michelle McNamara (Golden State Killer)  
> 2\. The Stranger Beside Me- Anne Rule (Ted Bundy)  
> 3\. Perfect Victim- Carla Norton & Christine McGuire (The Girl in the Box/Cameron Hooker)  
> 4\. The Nightingale- Kristin Hannah (WWII Historical Fiction)  
> 5\. No Exit- Taylor Adams (Thriller)
> 
> (Also Gretchen is not crazy in this. She's just a normal therapist and not a psycho experimenting on teen girls)


	14. month six pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Leah's name being leaked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is once again short and sweet and acts as a filler chapter but things are picking up in the next chapter I promise.
> 
> Thank you so much for your lovely comments and kudos and for continuing to read this story it means a lot and I appreciate all of you!
> 
> Hope you enjoy :)

Fatin took Leah home immediately after seeing that article, calling her mother on the way. And only after a few minutes of driving Leah had her pull over so she could throw up. Twice it happened, and now again, she is hunched over the toilet. She bolted for the bathroom as soon as they stepped foot in the house.

Leah's stomach heaves, and she grips the toilet seat tight as she retches. Tears blur her vision, and she coughs, spitting more bile into the bowl before lifting her head and sitting back, her stomach cramping.

She closes her eyes as her tears fall, and she wishes the vomiting would stop. Her stomach hurts so badly, and her body shakes from cold and exhaustion even with Fatin's warm body pressed to her back, holding her upright.

"I got you," Fatin murmurs in Leah's ear, pressing a kiss to her sweaty temple when Leah lets her head drop back to rest on her shoulder.

Leah nods slightly and lets her shaking fingers grip Fatin's warm ones, where they rest gently on her stomach.

"Here, sweetie," Rana says quietly as she enters the bathroom, holding a bottle of water and a few saltine crackers. Leah sits up a little, grimacing when her stomach twinges, and Fatin takes it upon herself to reach out and flush the toilet before helping Leah to her feet.

Rana twists the cap off the bottle and hands it to Leah, who takes it with shaky hands, taking slow sips and relishing in the cool relief it leaves behind as it trails down her sore throat and settles in her stomach.

Fatin leads her out to the bedroom and helps her into her bed, pulling the covers over her while Rana places the crackers in Leah's hand.

"Small bites, honey, and keep sipping on the water. I have the kettle boiling; I will bring you some tea too. It will help settle your stomach, okay?" Rana says, sitting on the bed's edge, resting her hand on Leah's knee, rubbing it gently.

"Thank you," Leah murmurs and Rana smiles, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead.

"You're welcome. We will find out who made this mistake, I promise. But for now, try to rest. I will handle everything."

Leah nods and settles further into the pillows as Rana stands up and heads back to the kitchen, leaving Fatin to climb in next to Leah.

"Feeling any better?" Fatin asks as Leah leans into her, nibbling on her crackers.

"Some," Leah whispers, and Fatin hums, rubbing her hand up and down Leah's back, and they sit in silence as Leah eats and drinks her water.

"When they find out the asshole who leaked your name, my mom is going to rip them a new one; you know that, right?" Fatin says, and Leah snorts.

"I have no doubt. She has that severe badass side of her that would scare anyone. I'd never want to be on the receiving end of her wrath."

"Yeah, the last person who got that was my dad, and he ran pretty quickly," Fatin replies with a chuckle and Leah's lips quirk.

"Probably the smartest decision he ever made then."

Fatin snickers and nods, pressing a kiss to Leah's head.

"Oh definitely."

//

Waking the next morning to her face splashed across every news outlet was not how Leah wanted to start the day. Thankfully the sickness from the day before is gone, and she no longer is riddled with panic. Her anxiety had definitely reached a new level yesterday.

The only thing that made it somewhat bearable was all the text messages from her friends saying they have her back. They even started a group chat with all of them, and Toni immediately took advantage of it to let everyone know exactly what she would do to Jeff and the person who leaked Leah's name to the press.

Rachel surprisingly was quick to add her own thoughts, and the graphic detailing was impressive.

"God, am I ever glad I am not a dude," Fatin mutters as she scrolls through the chat, shuddering after reading the messages, and Leah laughs, looking up from her book.

"I know. I think if I'd ever need protection, I'd hire those two as my security," She says, and Fatin glances up, grinning.

"Now that is an idea. They would love that."

Leah smiles and goes back to reading, curling up further on her room's window seat while Fatin lies sprawled across her bed on her stomach chatting with the girls.

"Oh shit, Martha," Fatin says in surprise, whistling lowly, and Leah looks up curiously, finding Fatin looking incredibly impressed.

"What did she say?" she asks, and Fatin smirks as she reads it out loud.

"She said, and I quote, 'castration isn't enough, T. You have to start from the feet and go up. One toe at a time, followed by the kneecaps. Just completely shatter them with a bat. Then let him think you are going for his junk, but instead, take his fingers like you did the toes. And once he is begging for death, you take his dick and shove it down his throat. That way, he chokes on it and dies,' end quote."

Fatin looks up to meet Leah's wide eyes and immediately bursts out laughing, quickly raising her phone to snap a picture of Leah.

"I'm sending this to them and captioning it as 'Leah's reaction to Martha's savage murder plan,' that cool?" She asks, and Leah knows she's not really asking for permission because seconds later, her phone vibrates next to her, and she sees Fatin's response in the chat.

"You're a dick," Leah says with a chuckle, and Fatin sends her a wink.

"Yeah, but you like it."

"I tolerate it; there is a difference," Leah corrects, and Fatin scoffs.

"Lies."

Leah smiles and lets her attention return to her book, reading her current page's last sentences before flipping it. Just as she is becoming immersed in the story again, her phone rings, and she jumps in surprise. When she looks down at the caller ID, she freezes.

"Who is it?" Fatin asks, and Leah swallows as she picks up her phone, watching it ring.

"My mom," She whispers and looks up in time to see Fatin's eyes widen in surprise before her expression shutters and anger dominates her features.

"What the fuck? She can't suddenly give a damn now that your relationship with Jeff has made national news. That's bullshit."

Leah nods in agreement, and her phone stops ringing. She waits with bated breath, just watching the screen, and when the notification for an unread voicemail pops up, she chews on her bottom lip, debating whether or not to listen. Her curiosity gets the best of her, and she quickly unlocks her phone and enters her code to listen to the voicemail.

She presses her phone to her ear and stands, ignoring Fatin's concerned gaze as she begins to pace.

_"Hi honey, it's mom. I uh know our last encounter was terrible, and I am so sorry, baby. When we saw those photos, your father and I reacted horribly and made a mistake by kicking you out. I should have let you explain instead of getting angry, and after seeing the news, I know that your relationship with that man was not one of choice. I'd really like to speak with you about this and to apologize properly to you. Please, if you are willing, give me a call anytime. I love you."_

Leah's eyes burn when her mother's voice ends, and she quickly saves the message before tossing the phone onto her desk. She hates that she misses her mom.

"Lee?" Fatin whispers from behind her, and Leah clears her throat, spinning around to face her with a tight smile.

"I'm fine," She says quickly, and Fatin frowns.

"Babe-"

Leah shakes her head and works her jaw side to side as her leg begins to shake as she forces her tears back. "Just give me a minute?" She asks hesitantly, and Fatin immediately nods.

"As long as you need."

Leah's chin wobbles, and she quick crosses the distance to wrap herself in Fatin's comforting warmth. Fatin immediately wraps her around Leah's back and holds her tight as she buries her face in the crook of her neck.

For a long moment, Leah breathes Fatin in, letting her familiar scent calm her, only a few tears leaking out of the corner of her eyes, much to her relief. She is tired of crying.

"She apologized and wants to talk to me about everything," Leah finally says, not lifting her face from Fatin's neck.

"Are you going to talk to her?" Fatin asks after a moment of hesitation, and Leah shrugs.

"I don't know. I kind of want to just so I can tell her how much they fucked me up, but on the other hand, I don't want to see her. I'm scared. I have been angry at them for months. If I talk to her, I know I'll feel guilty for not wanting them back in my life. They will probably want to make amends and have me move back in."

Fatin's arms tighten around her then, and Leah sighs, pulling her head back so she can meet Fatin's gaze.

"I don't want to move," Leah whispers, and Fatin sends her a soft smile.

"You don't have to. This is your home, and they can't force you."

"But they can," Leah stresses, and Fatin frowns. "I'm not eighteen yet, Fatin. They still have legal custody over me. If they want it bad enough, they could make me move back."

"Well, then we will fight it in court or something. They kicked you out, Leah. That's got to mean something to a judge."

Leah shakes her head and steps back. "Fatin, your mom is already paying my court fees for my fight against Jeff. I can't have her hire a second lawyer to fight my parents. That's insane."

"Leah, you can't move back there," Fatin says, voice tight, and it's the first time she has really argued with Leah in any aspect.

Their eyes lock, and Leah crosses her arms. "I can only fight one shitty person at a time. And my parents are the lesser of two evils when it comes to Jeff."

Fatin's jaw tightens, and she looks away from Leah. "Fine. Whatever. You can forgive them; it's not my place."

"Fatin, I'm not forgiving them," Leah hisses and takes a step forward, reaching up to cup her chin and gently pull her face back, so their eyes lock again. "But I need to be realistic. With all this Jeff shit now out in the world, they will want to be seen as good and supportive parents, especially if the news channels decide to interview them. And if I'm not living with them, that will raise questions that I don't need random people asking. It's bad enough they are going to learn all the intimate details of the case."

Fatin stays silent, just staring at Leah with an unreadable expression before she nods and takes a step back. "Do whatever you need to do, Leah. They are your parents, not mine, and I shouldn't be making you feel bad about your decisions. You wouldn't do that to me if our roles were reversed. But I don't like it. They don't deserve you."

Leah's expression softens, and she brushes her fingers across Fatin's cheek.

"Babe, I don't like it either, and nothing is happening just yet. I just want to be prepared for anything at this point. And if it does happen? I turn eighteen in less than two months. As soon as my birthday hits, I would be running back here. And honestly, I'd be spending all my time over here and only sleeping there."

"That makes sense. And I guess it's not that bad. I'm just selfish. I don't want to be without you," Fatin mumbles, reaching out to wrap her arms around Leah's waist, tugging her closer, and Leah smiles.

"I don't want to be without you either. But hey, maybe they will feel super guilty and let me stay here."

Fatin nods and presses their lips together in a soft kiss.

"We can hope."

//

Leah shifts in her seat for the hundredth time, glancing out the window into the parking lot for any sign on her mother. She has been at the Renee's for fifteen minutes, having arrived early to help mentally prepare herself. Fatin had wanted to stay with her or at least be at another table, but she needs to do this by herself. However, she does have her phone on and sitting next to her with Fatin's contact information ready at a moment's notice.

She's not sticking around longer than she needs to, especially when people are whispering and staring at her from across the restaurant.

It's been four days since the news broke, and today has been the first time she has stepped outside of the house. And will probably be the last, unless it involves work. But even then, Tim has been incredibly understanding and is allowing her to come in whenever she can.

"Leah, honey."

Leah yanks her gaze away from the window to her mom, who is standing at the table's edge, dressed in a light blue floral tank top and beige shorts. She looks tanner than usual, and her dark hair is now chopped at her shoulders and has a few blonde highlights throughout. Leah's surprised she hadn't noticed her arrival; she must have been more distracted than she realized.

"Mom," Leah says quietly, and Maryann sends her a nervous smile as she slides into the booth across from her.

"Thank you for meeting me," She says as she sets her purse next to her and Leah nods, clenching her fists in her lap.

"I um ordered you a lemonade if that's okay," Leah replies, and her mother sends her a smile.

"Perfect. I could use a cold beverage today. The heat is ridiculous for early summer," Maryann says, and Leah hums as she reaches for her own drink, taking a long swallow, avoiding her mother's inquisitive gaze.

They sit in awkward silence for a few minutes, both pretending to read off the menu when they both know each other has it memorized. They used to come here every Sunday as a family since Leah was three.

Maryann clears her throat, and Leah looks up quickly, watching her shift a little before speaking, her similar blue eyes locking on Leah's.

"I am so sorry, Leah," She begins, and Leah sits up straighter, leaning into the backrest as she waits for more. "What your father and I did is unforgivable. I have no excuse. I was angry, yes, but you are my baby, and I am supposed to protect you, not leave you to fend for yourself. I worried myself sick the first few days, wondering where you were and if you were safe. I actually asked Ian about you, and he told me you were staying with the Jadmani family."

Leah swallows and spins her glass of lemonade between her fingers for a moment before speaking, trying not to let the sadness and guilt in her mother's gaze affect her.

"Why did you just call?" She whispers, and Maryann sighs.

"I wanted to. But after those awful things I said, I wasn't sure it was my place. I was a coward and let myself believe you were fine. And with your father still so angry, I thought it was best to let it be for now."

Leah's eyes burn, and she glances away from her mother to compose herself before speaking. "You missed my graduation," She rasps, throat tight and Maryann's expression crumples.

"I know," She whispers, her breath hitching. "I can't even begin to make that up to you. I should never have let your father talk me out of going. I wanted to see you walk across that stage and have pictures of that day. I hate myself for hurting you so much. None of this should have happened."

"You're right. It shouldn't have. I needed my mom more than ever," Leah says, her voice breaking, and Maryann tilts her head to the side as a few tears spill over her cheeks. "I needed you to take me in your arms and tell me what I went through with Jeff wasn't my fault. I needed you to say you loved me and that he didn't break me. I needed you to help me through my self-hate and trauma, and you weren't fucking there. I had to depend on Rana for that, and that wasn't fair to her. That was your job, and you let me down. I hated you for not being there. You should have fucking been there."

Leah gasps for breath as tears spill down her cheeks in earnest and she forces down the sob threatening to escape. She can't lose it in public, but when her mom covers her mouth to smother her own cries, she nearly does. Maryann is quick to slide out of her side of the booth and move in next to Leah, pulling her into a tight hug, and Leah clings to her. She cries and buries her face into her mom's chest like she used to do when she was young.

"I'm sorry, baby," Maryann whispers, rocking her back and forth. "I'm so sorry."

Leah sniffles and tries to calm herself, knowing they are making a scene, but it's hard to care when she is finally getting the hug she has been craving for so long. She misses her mom, no matter what happened between them, including the stuff before Jeff. She misses how they used to be and wants that back.

"I missed you," She mumbles, and Maryann nods, tightening her arms around Leah.

"I missed you too, sweetie. So much. And I know I have been a terrible mother to you well before those photos, but I am going to do better. I want to be the mother you deserve. I don't care how long it takes. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, nor do I want it unless you are willing to give it. But I do hope I can be a part of your life again? In any capacity, you will allow. And I am going to be there with you every step of the way through this trial. I am proud of you for stepping forward with your story. You are so strong, baby."

Leah swallows the lump in her throat and pulls back a little so she can wipe her tears before answering.

"I think that would be nice. But this is not a fix-all type of thing, mom. I'm going to need time. You really hurt me," She whispers, and her mother nods quickly, reaching out to cup her face.

"I know, honey. We will go at your pace."

Leah sends her a small smile and nods.

"Okay. Then we can try."

"Thank you," Maryann breathes, looking so relieved that Leah hopes she has chosen the right decision. She hopes her mom can prove to her that she deserves a second chance.

"What about dad?" Leah asks after a moment, the two of them now having cleaned themselves up but stay pressed together.

"Your dad feels like a giant asshole," Her mother says, and Leah chews on her lips. "He feels so guilty for his snap judgement, and he is furious that Galanis man took advantage of you. And that he hadn't noticed. He wanted to come too, but we figured it was best if you only saw us one at a time. We didn't want to overwhelm you. But he is ready to speak to you whenever you are ready."

Leah picks at her fingernails, worrying her bottom lip as she debates on whether to see her dad today. It would be good to get it out of the way, but seeing her dad is going to be a lot harder. They have always been close, and his actions cut her much deeper than her mother's. But she can't run from this, not anymore. She wants to move on, and the only way to do that is to face her father too.

"I want to see him," Leah blurts, and Maryann pulls back to look down at her in surprise. "Today. We need to hash this out; it's been too long already."

"Okay, sweetie. After you eat, I will take you to him," Her mother says softly, and Leah sends her a grateful smile.

"Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does this count as a cliffhanger?
> 
> Not gonna lie some of my own issues with my mother bled through in this, so that angst was real kids lol


	15. month six pt. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leah talks with her dad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the love you guys are so amazing!
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter :)

Leah doesn't speak on the ride to the house, and her mother doesn't attempt conversation. When they arrive, she doesn't move to get out and stares at the front door.

The same door that her dad slammed in her face.

She clenches her jaw and takes a deep breath, trying to calm the sudden spark of anger that ignites in her chest. After her breakdown in the restaurant, she realized that in the heat of the moment, her actions might have given her mom the impression she is not as upset with her as she actually is.

But after having the short drive to think, she is angry. Her tears got the better of her but not now. All she wants to do is yell at her parents until her throat is raw, to make them feel as badly as they made her feel.

She catches the kitchen drapes shift, and when she blinks, her dad is there peeking out. Leah swallows roughly and reaches for the door handle. She shoves her door open, and her mother follows her lead, stepping out of the car a few seconds later.

Leah doesn't wait for her mom, she stalks up to the front door, and it swings open immediately.

She stares up at her dad, and he stares right back, neither of them saying a word, and for some reason, the silence agitates her even more than if he immediately tried to apologize.

She lets her eyes sweep over his greying temples, the rest of his brown hair messy and longer than he generally allows it to get. The crow's feet at the edges of his dark eyes are more prominent, and he hasn't shaved in what looks like a few weeks. He is usually cleanly shaven. He looks like he has aged a good ten years since the last time she saw him, and she feels a spark of satisfaction when she notices the dark bags under his eyes.

"Leah," He finally says, and she purses her lips as he steps aside, allowing her to enter.

She does and stops in the middle of the kitchen, glancing around at the familiar space. She grew up in this house. She ate breakfast at the table every morning and dinner every night. She baked cookies using that oven and snuck ice cream out of the freezer in the middle of the night. There are so many memories, but it doesn't feel like her home. Not anymore.

When she turns to face her parents, her father is watching her with sad eyes and drooping shoulders; his hands shoved in the front pockets of his jeans.

Her mother sends her a small smile before heading for the fridge to grab beverages. Neither Leah nor her father moves, stuck in a weird staring contest until her mother sets the glasses of iced tea on the island, snapping them out of it.

"Come on, you two, grab a glass and let's head to the living room to sit. I think we have a lot to talk about," Maryann says, and Leah bites the inside of her cheek as she takes one of the glasses and follows her mother into the living room, leaving her father in the kitchen.

Leah decides to take the armchair for herself, and her parents take the couch. She focuses on her drink, taking a few sips and letting her gaze fall to the coffee table.

She hit her head on that table when she was seven, tripping over a pillow when she attempted to build a fort. Her dad was the one who picked her up as she bawled and held a dish towel to her head in the emergency room as they waited.

"Leah," Kurt says, breaking the silence, and her eyes flick up to meet his, that spark of anger growing in her chest when he winces and glances towards Maryann like he is lost as to what to say.

Her mother glares at him, and he clears his throat, shifting in his seat before returning his gaze to Leah, who is waiting patiently, refusing to speak first. She's not going to make it easy on him. He deserves to be uncomfortable.

"I want to say that I am sorry. What I did, how I treated you when I saw those photos," He trails off and runs his hand through his hair roughly, looking pained. "That is not how a father reacts. I should never have-"

Leah's jaw tightens when he cuts himself off, and she leans forward to set her glass on the coffee table, collecting herself before she explodes the way she is so desperate to do. When she sits back, she meets his eyes and raises her brows.

"Never should have what? Called your daughter a fucking whore? Or tell her to find a street corner if she wants to open her legs for any man who gives her attention? Is that what you were going to say, dad?" Leah asks coolly, and he swallows roughly, dipping his chin slightly.

"Yes, that."

Leah nods and sends him a bitter smile. "Okay. So you are sorry for saying shit that you don't mean now but meant at that moment because you thought I was a slut. Got it."

Kurt winces, and Maryann takes a deep breath, watching them both, looking like she wants to jump in but knows this is between Leah and her father.

"I made a mistake," Kurt says gruffly, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, hands clasped as he holds Leah's angry gaze. "I made a mistake, and I am so sorry. I made a snap judgment, and it will never happen again. You're my baby girl, and it's my job to protect you, but I failed. Instead of looking at the bigger picture, I blamed you rather than asking myself why a grown man would be in a sexual relationship with you. I take responsibility for my actions, Leah. What I did is unforgivable. I'm not even going to ask for forgiveness because I know I don't deserve it. And I'm not going to ask for things to go back to normal. There is no normal after this. I fucked up big, which is a regret I will have for the rest of my life. But what I am going to do is make sure I never make the same mistake. I am in your corner, kiddo. With this whole trial, I am there. And if you decide later on that you would like us to try and have a relationship again, I will be ready."

Leah swallows roughly and glances towards her mother, who sends her a small smile. When she looks back at her dad, she sighs and rubs her forehead.

"You're right; there is no going back to normal. I thought I could do it when I talked with mom earlier, but I was upset and missing what we had before. That was wishful thinking on my part. Because you guys hurt me so fucking bad. You threw me out and slut-shammed me, and that is not okay. I needed you, and you took one look at a fucking photo of me in a compromising position and didn't even think to ask me my side. Those photos you got? Those were from the time he got drunk and forced himself on me. He used my body and didn't stop, no matter how many times I begged him to. He left bruises on my skin and didn't give a fuck about using a condom. Thank god I was on birth control. So yeah, dad, you did make a mistake. You made the biggest fucking one a parent can make," Leah snaps and her parents stare at her in horror.

Kurt sits frozen as Maryann clutches his arm, her other hand covering her mouth, tears shimmering in her eyes, and Leah swallows the lump that forms in her throat.

"So if you are serious about being there for me, you better be prepared to hear all the horrid details of what I endured. Every little thing will come out in that trial, and people will probably ask you about it. I'm not going to say you can't show up at court, but I will say that this is not forgiven. At least not yet. You both fucked me over and ruined our relationship. So I will be civil with you, and we can text and call, but I think it's best for me right now for us to limit our interactions. I can't jump right back into how things were. It's going to be gradual, but I think it's possible to repair the rift with time."

Kurt clears his throat and nods, send Leah a watery smile. "I understand, honey. We won't push you. Thank you for giving us the chance to try and fix what we broke."

"Yes, anything you need, sweetheart," Maryann adds, and Leah nods, sending them a tight smile.

"Thanks."

Silence descends for a moment; all three lost in thought before Kurt stands and heads to the kitchen. Leah frowns and watches him exit, only for him to return a few seconds later, holding something.

"I know this isn't what you meant but us making up for our mistake, but I think you could use it," He says, tossing her the object. Leah catches it swiftly and looks down at her palm.

Her car keys.

Leah bites her lip and glances up at her dad, sending him a small smile. "Thanks, dad. This actually helps a lot. I've depended on Fatin to drive me everywhere."

He grins and sits back down, looking more relaxed. Leah's mother takes his hand, and the two of them watch as she pockets the keys.

"Leah honey," Maryann says, looking unsure, and Leah nods for her to continue. "I know this is probably not our place, and you can say no, of course, but I'd like to be prepared. Do you think you could tell us what you went through? I want to understand and be ready to help in any way I can."

Leah shifts awkwardly and glances towards her father to gauge his reaction, but he seems just as invested in knowing, so she nods.

"Sure."

//

Leah hates to admit it, but she feels better after talking with her parents. She thought she wouldn't, that she would be filled with rage and hate their guts, but she doesn't. She loves them; of course, she does. They are not all bad, and she is starting to realize parents are only human. They make mistakes no matter how much they act as if they don't. She expected her parents to be perfect her whole life, and when they proved her wrong, that pedestal she put them on crumbled immediately. But she knows now that they are still learning too. Now, the three have to rebuild from scratch, which Leah thinks might be for the best. Forgiveness is a long way away, but she thinks eventually it will happen.

After they learned about the things Jeff did to her, both of them took it hard. Her mother was devastated and horrified, and her father was furious. She had never seen him that angry, not even when he kicked her out. He looked as if he would drive to Jeff's house and beat the shit out of him.

But after he calmed down, he decided that giving Leah her car back wasn't enough. He gave her one of his credit cards, telling her to use it for anything and to not worry about paying it or her car insurance and helped her put the telescope in the back seat. Even helped her pack up anything she else she wanted to take back to Fatin's. They never asked her to move back, and Leah is relieved. They seem to be taking her boundaries seriously, and she is grateful. Maybe they needed this horrible experience for them all to create better connections with each other. Before, her dad worked all the time, and yes, he did make time for Leah, but as she grew older, that time continuously shortened, and her mother stopped making an effort with her after the fight about college soccer. But now, they are making an effort. They are putting her first for the first time in so long that Leah is a bit overwhelmed. She didn't expect such a reaction from them, and she is glad that she misjudged them.

"Sick wheels girl," Fatin says, as Leah steps out of her car, making a show of admiring Leah's black 2017 Chevrolet Cruze as if it is a fancy sports car. Leah laughs and shoves Fatin lightly, earning a wide grin in response before Fatin scoops her up in a tight hug, capturing her lips roughly.

Leah melts into the kiss and wraps her arms around Fatin's shoulders immediately, deepening the kiss. After a minute or two of heavy kissing, they pull back for breath, and Leah rests her forehead on Fatin's, closing her eyes.

"How did it go?" Fatin whispers, and Leah shrugs, opening her eyes to meet Fatin's soft gaze.

"Well, I broke down in Renee's, so there is probably going to be a picture of me being cradled by my mother as I cry splashed across the front page tomorrow. And then I told my dad off, and he gave me a car to make up for it."

Fatin's brows raise, and Leah stares at her seriously, which has Fatin frowning after a moment.

"That's it?"

Leah chuckles and pecks Fatin's lips. "No, I'm kidding. Well, sort of. I'll tell you all about it after you help me carry all this shit inside."

Fatin shakes her head fondly but immediately moves to help Leah carry the few boxes of clothes and books inside as Leah carefully handles her telescope.

//

Fatin seems just as surprised as Leah at the turn of events. They both expected resistance and some argument from her parents regarding her living situation and her boundaries. To have them say they will let her dictate their interactions and are willing to do whatever it takes to support her with Jeff and earn her forgiveness was more of a surprise than it probably should have been. She knows her parents are not malicious people, and they do care about her, but they did make a huge mistake in dealing with the situation.

"Maybe I should confront my dad," Fatin murmurs distractedly, and Leah stops kissing her way down Fatin's neck to look up at her in surprise.

"Are you really thinking about your father right now?" She asks, left brow cocked, and Fatin flushes slightly, reaching out to squeeze Leah's hips in apology.

"Sorry, babe. But it popped into my head, and now I can't stop thinking about it. You and your parents talked it out and didn't kill each other; maybe my dad and I should talk."

Leah sends her a soft smile and bends down to capture Fatin's lips gently.

"You know my opinion on this. I think telling him how you feel will help you move on whether you write a letter or speak directly to him. But you shouldn't do it before you are ready or just because I did it. Though I will support you no matter what you decide."

Fatin smiles and sits up, wrapping her arms around Leah's back, hugging her close, their noses brushing.

"Thank you," She whispers, and Leah hums, sliding her arms around Fatin's shoulders and shifting in Fatin's lap so she can wrap her legs around her hips.

Leah's lips find Fatin's, and immediately Fatin responds, deepening the kiss eagerly. She slips her fingers into Fatin's hair and tugs gently, earning a moan from her and Fatin's hands slide lower, digging into Leah's lower back, her fingers dipping under her shirt.

Leah presses her lips harder against Fatin's, and slowly they fall back onto the bed, Fatin tugging Leah's hips into her own, and Leah gasps into her mouth. Her grip on Fatin's hair tightens, and Fatin flips them so fast Leah's head spins, and she lands on her back breathless.

Fatin pulls back to meet Leah's gaze, and for a moment, they stare at each other before she leans down and captures Leah's lips again, her fingers slipping under her shirt and over her sides pulling a shiver from Leah.

Leah tugs at Fatin's hips until she is settled between her legs, and Fatin nips at Leah's bottom lip, swiping her tongue across before dipping into her mouth.

"Heyo! Time to- oh shit."

Fatin jumps off Leah so fast she nearly tumbles off the bed, but Leah catches her around the waist before she tips over the side. Toni is standing there with a wicked grin and her arms crossed, leaning against the door jam when they look over.

"Please, do continue," Toni says, and Leah laughs quietly as she sits up, and Fatin flips Toni off.

"The fuck you doing here, Shalifoe? And why the hell do you never knock?" Fatin asks, and Toni grins.

"Knocking is for noobs, Jadmani. And Leah and I have a date."

Fatin's brows raise, and she glances towards a sheepish Leah who is rubbing the back of her neck and sending Fatin an apologetic smile.

"In my defence, I forgot we had plans," Leah says, and Fatin chuckles when Toni gasps dramatically.

"It's cool, babe. Go have fun with T, and I will wait here agonizing over your return," Fatin says, falling back on the bed dramatically earning a laugh from Leah.

"No need, I brought you a present," Toni says, and Fatin lifts her head to look at her just in time for Dot to come sauntering into the room.

"Up and at em Jadmani. We got some fun shit to do," Dot says, and Fatin grins, immediately rolling off the bed.

"Fuck yeah. Let me go get dressed," She says, and Dot rolls her eyes but nods. Fatin quickly runs around the bed to Leah and cups her face before planting a hard kiss on her lips, pulling back with a loud 'muah.'

"See you later?" She asks, and Leah smiles, reaching up to squeeze Fatin's chin lightly.

"See you later. Have fun with Dot. Don't get into too much trouble without me," Leah teases, and Fatin grins, pecking Leah's lips once more.

"No promises. Don't get arrested while out with Toni."

Leah laughs as Fatin skips out of the room past a smirking Toni with Dot on her heels.

"Let's go, Rilke. We've got some criminal activity to get involved in."

//

The criminal activity Toni speaks of is running around the park with Shelby's new golden retriever puppy and getting ice cream.

"So why did you ask me out?" Toni asks as they sit on the bench in the dog park, watching Olive run around.

Leah's lips twitch, and she takes a moment to scoop a spoonful of chocolate ice cream into her mouth before speaking.

"I need your advice on something," She says, and Toni hums, licking drops of her ice cream off of her hand as it melts faster than she can eat it, her cone completely covered in mint chocolate chip. She looks like a giant toddler with the mess she is making. "It's about fighting."

Toni pauses in her attempt to clean up her hand and looks over at Leah in surprise.

"Fighting? Why?" She asks, and Leah's cheeks flush a little under Toni's scrutiny.

"Well, I guess not fighting exactly, but self-defence."

"Oh," Toni says and shrugs, going back to her ice cream. "What about it?"

"I want to learn. And wanted to know if you would teach me? Or know someone who can?" Leah asks, and Toni glances towards her with an excited grin.

"Really?"

Leah chuckles and nods. "Yeah. I wouldn't ask you if I wasn't serious."

"Dude, I am so in!" Toni says, nearly squealing as she twists to face Leah, pulling her one leg up onto the bench. "I have a whole MMA set up going on at home. I also take classes at the local martial arts gym, and it's awesome. You can come with me, and on our off days, we can practice at my house. Martha has also learned some moves, but she's not much for violence. So she has only gone with me to the classes a few times."

Leah perks up and nods immediately. "That sounds perfect. When's your next class?" She asks, and Toni grins.

"Friday at two in the afternoon. You'll need a pair of gloves, but I have an extra set that you can use, and later, if you want your own, we can go to the store and get you all the gear you need."

"Thanks, Toni. I really appreciate this," Leah says softly, and Toni calms, sending her a soft smile.

"Of course, Leah. Does this have anything to do with that Galanis asshole?" She asks gently, and Leah nods, looking down at her cup of ice cream that is now nearly completely melted.

"I wasn't able to defend myself against him, and I know Fatin will never lay a hand on me or force me into anything as he did, but there is still this unsettling feeling in my gut, you know? Like he is looming in the dark, just waiting to take me by surprise even though I know he is under surveillance while out on bond. I'd just feel better knowing that I can fend off him or someone later on in life if anything were to happen."

Toni knocks their shoulders together, and when Leah glances over, she sees Toni is watching her with so much understanding that Leah's breath catches.

"I know Leah. Trust me, I do. I've had plenty of bad experiences in foster care to know that fear and paranoia and to want to be strong and able to fight off any prick that thinks it's okay to hurt you. So I get it. And I will gladly help you with this. It'll be nice to have someone as invested in martial arts as I am. Honestly, I think every woman should know self-defence. I've been trying to get Shelby to go with me, but she is still on the fence."

Leah sends her a smile and wraps her arm over Toni's shoulders, tugging her closer.

"If you ever want to tell me about what you went through, I am here to listen," She says, and Toni nods.

"Same here, Rilke."

They fall silent and go back to watching Olive barking and chasing a squirrel, and Toni tries to salvage the rest of her ice cream cone. As she moves to lick the bottom to stop the melting, the two scoops tip and Leah watches highly amused when they fall off the cone and into the grass.

Toni gasps and stares down at the pathetic pile of ice cream, looking as if she could cry. A giggle escapes Leah and Toni is quick to send her glare.

"It's not funny, Rilke."

"It's a little funny," Leah says with a snicker and Toni pouts, looking from her empty cone to the ice cream in the grass. With a sigh, Leah shakes her head and stands. "Come on, you big baby, let's go get you a new one. And maybe some wet wipes while we are at it."


	16. month seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the little gap between chapters, I hit a bit of writer's block.
> 
> Thank you for the love and support, you all are so amazing and sweet.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter!

"Our girlfriends are smoking hot," Fatin mutters, and Shelby hums in agreement as they sit on the bench in Toni's basement, watching Leah and Toni train. 

Leah is punching the pads Toni has on her hands, and Fatin's eyes are fixated on the muscles rippling in her arms and the sweat that drips down her neck. She has improved a lot over the past month, and Fatin knows Leah can defend herself now after watching her practice non-stop. 

It's stupidly hot, and Fatin has struggled not to jump Leah every time she sees her fight or walk out of her room dressed in her tight tank top and spandex shorts. Their makeout sessions have heated up over the past few weeks, even going as far as removing their shirts, and Fatin nearly choked when she saw the outline of a six-pack on Leah's stomach. It's faint, but she knows her constant training will define the muscles in no-time, and Fatin will drool over them even more than she already does. 

"Fatin?" She blinks out of her daze and immediately grins when she sees Leah standing before her, her blue eyes full of amusement. After a glance, she notices Shelby is gone from her side and is a few feet away, standing with Toni. "You okay there?" Leah asks with a quirk of her lips, and Fatin nods.

"Yup. Just lost in thought," She says, and Leah smiles, her nose scrunching up as she scans Fatin's face curiously.

"Okay, as long as you're not having a stroke," Leah teases, and Fatin chuckles, reaching out to tug Leah between her legs, tilting her head back so she can meet her gaze.

"Nah, I was just admiring the view," Fatin whispers, pinching the back of Leah's thighs lightly, and a flush spreads from Leah's chest, up her neck, and to her cheeks which has Fatin grinning like a fool. She loves making her girlfriend blush.

"Good to know," Leah murmurs as she bends down to capture Fatin's lips fiercely. Leah's fingers grip Fatin's chin to hold her head in place as she quickly deepens the kiss and as Fatin's hands slide up the outside of Leah's thighs and over her hips towards the hem of her top, a throat clears obnoxiously.

"I swear to fuck, Shalifoe," Fatin grumbles against Leah's lips, and Toni laughs loudly along with Shelby. Leah pulls back after dropping a sweet peck to her lips, a chuckle escaping her when she catches sight of Fatin's pout.

"Later," Leah whispers, and Fatin lets her head fall back until it hits the wall with a quiet thud, sighing. 

Her lower abdomen aches with want, and for a moment, she considers dragging Leah up the stairs and out of the house so she can drive them home and have a sexy makeout session with her girl. But then she remembers they made plans with everyone and knows Leah has been looking forward to it. Guess she will have to wait four hours, which is ridiculous when her girlfriend looks like a sweaty jock, which Fatin generally didn't find attractive before, but when it's Leah, everything she does and every look she pulls off is sexy. 

"Fine," Fatin mumbles, getting to her feet before locking eyes with Toni. "But fair warning, T, I will be getting payback for all the times you have cockblocked me over the past few months."

Toni smirks and shrugs as she wraps an arm around Shelby's waist. "Jokes on you, I like that shit. It gives me a challenge."

Fatin groans and turns to press her forehead into Leah's arm while Shelby flicks Toni's ear gently. 

"No more sex talk. We have a dinner to get ready for. Martha is bringing her date tonight," Shelby says, and they all perk up.

"Oh shit, I forgot about that," Toni says, and Shelby rolls her eyes.

"Of course you did."

"She's been real secretive about them; I wonder who it could be," Leah adds, and Fatin nods.

"Probably a douchebag," Fatin says bluntly, and Toni's brow furrows immediately.

"Better fucking not be. I'll beat their ass."

Leah and Shelby share a fond smile as they lead their girlfriends upstairs. Toni and Leah split off to the two bathrooms to shower and change, and when they are finally ready, Fatin and Shelby are waiting.

"Looking gorgeous, Rilke," Fatin murmurs when Leah meets her at the front door dressed in black dress slacks and a white button-down blouse, the sleeves rolled to her elbows. She has the shirt tucked into her waistband and a pair of black ankle boots on her feet, giving her an extra two inches of height. The golden chain with a small rose she received from her mother when she turned five is back around her neck and dangles low between her breasts. Her hair is curled with half of it up on top of her head in a neat bun.

"Not looking half bad yourself, Jadmani," Leah says with a soft smile, leaning in to kiss the corner of Fatin's mouth. "New dress?"

Fatin smirks and looks down at the tight black dress that falls just above her knees. It's conservative and sexy at the same time with the long lace sleeves and high neckline. Her hair is down and falling in loose waves, and she has on a pair of black stilettos, making her and Leah the same height. 

"This old thing?" Fatin asks when she looks back up, and Leah smirks. "Nah, I just found it in the back of my closet. I totally did not go to the mall three days ago while you were at work to buy this as a surprise."

Leah grins, and Fatin winks, pressing a sweet kiss to her lips. "Well, old or not, I love it. And you look stunning, babe."

"Okay bitches, enough eye-sex we got a dinner to get to and an asshole to intimidate," Toni says, and Fatin immediately groans.

"Seriously, dude, enough with the interruptions. We were having a moment."

Toni rolls her eyes. "Moment over Jadmani. Now chop-chop. you're driving."

//

When they arrive at the restaurant, everyone is already there. Toni is the first to reach the table with Shelby's hand clasped in hers, and immediately her eyes fall on the guy sitting next to Martha. He has sandy brown hair lightly gelled back, is dressed in a black dress shirt and has sharp features. He is good-looking, Leah can see that, but he doesn't look like he is in high school and immediately Leah's stomach twists. And when she and Fatin sit, the bad feeling she has grows when his dark eyes immediately fall to her. 

Fatin notices and frowns, scooting closer to her, placing her arm on the back of her chair, which has him looking away.

"Guys, this is Alex," Martha says with a broad smile, leaning into his shoulder, and he looks down at her with a small grin. "Alex, this is Toni, Shelby, Fatin and Leah."

She points to each of them, and Alex nods in greeting, his eyes once again lingering on Leah.

"Nice to meet you all," He says, his voice low and smooth, and Leah sends him a tight smile in response. 

She looks away from him to focus on Rachel. Who sits directly across from her, with Nora to her left. Their eyes meet, and Rachel shakes her head slightly, her jaw tight, and Leah grimaces, glancing towards Alex and Martha, speaking with Toni and Shelby. Shelby, of course, is as bubbly as ever, but Toni is almost stone-cold in the way she observes Alex.

"So safe to say we already don't like the guy?" Fatin whispers in Leah's ear, and Leah nods, reaching for her menu.

"The dude is in college," Dot murmurs from the end, and they both glance her way. Leah bites her lip, hating that her instinct was right. 

"Like freshman?" Fatin asks, and Nora shakes her head, glancing towards Alex and Martha quickly to check that they are still distracted before speaking.

"Senior. They met last week at a coffee shop. Martha doesn't seem to understand our hesitance regarding their age gap."

Leah swallows roughly and straightens in her chair, taking a second to eye Alex again. Unfortunately, her timing is terrible, and he catches her gaze and doesn't look away. The weird staring contest between them has Leah on edge, and she yanks her eyes away and back to her friends who caught the interaction.

"Dude, he's like obsessed with you," Rachel mutters, and Leah scratches her forehead as her stomach churns.

"Something is up," Fatin says quietly, her hand slipping over Leah's shoulder to soothe her.

Their waiter arrives before Leah can comment, forcing her to focus on her menu to find something to order. 

She settles for a simple chicken alfredo pasta while Fatin picks the roasted chicken with a side of mashed potatoes and garden salad. 

Their side of the table settles into small talk, with Toni and Shelby taking Alex and Martha's main focus, much to Leah's relief. She doesn't know how well she would hide her discomfort if Martha decided to speak to her directly and include Alex in their conversation. 

At the end of dinner, Leah excuses herself to the washroom before they leave, and when she exits the restroom, she nearly jumps out of her skin. Alex is standing there waiting, and immediately her fingers curl into fists.

He smirks and pushes off the wall, so they are only a foot away from each other, and her heart pounds in her chest so hard it echoes in her ears, making it difficult for her to hear what he says.

"You are a hard woman to pin down Leah Rilke."

Leah glances over his shoulder quickly in hopes of one of her friends appearing, but no one is there, and she thinks she might be sick. Why does this shit keep happening to her?

"Three weeks I've been tracking you, but you never seem to go anywhere alone. So I had to up my game and pretend to be interested in that friend of yours. She made it so easy it was laughable," Alex says, looking all too pleased with himself that Leah's fear is temporarily pushed aside and replaced with anger.

"So you were using Martha to get to me? Why the fuck would you do that? I don't even know you," Leah hisses, and Alex smirks.

"No, but I know you, Leah. My uncle has told me all about you."

"Your uncle?" Leah asks in bewilderment, and Alex's smirk fades, a sneer replacing it in the next second.

"I am Jeff's nephew. Since I was twelve, he's taken care of me, and now it's my turn to return the favour. You aren't going to go through with this trial Rilke; You’re going to walk away and move on with your pathetic life. I won't let you ruin his reputation or future. He is a good man, and I'm not going to let some whore accuse him of something he didn't do."

"So he sent you," Leah says flatly, and Alex shrugs.

"He asked me to do him a favour, and I'm not above threatening some high school bitch."

Leah stands frozen, staring up at Alex in disbelief, his face nearly touching hers when a throat clears behind him. 

They both look over, and Fatin is standing with Toni and Martha, her phone in hand, and when she turns the screen towards them, Leah bites back a smile. She recorded the whole thing.

Alex's face drains of colour, and he quickly steps away from Leah, but the damage is done. Leah shoves past him and immediately presses into Fatin's side.

"Thanks for that, Lexie, this will help tremendously in court," Fatin sneers, and Alex immediately lunges, reaching for the phone. 

Leah and Toni both react simultaneously and shove him back into the wall, and Leah sucks in a deep breath to calm herself. It's one thing to threaten her, but to go for Fatin is not something she will allow. And right now, she wants to punch the prick in the face for even attempting it.

"You fucking bitch," Alex seethes, shoving back against Toni and Leah's hold as he glares at Fatin. "You're going to regret this."

"Actually, I think you are the one who will regret this," Martha snaps, and everyone's eyes fall to her. She looks calm, too calm for someone who just learned a guy used her to get closer to one of her friends. "I recorded all of our conversations. I knew you were following me, you idiot. And you asked for Leah too often. You were too eager to meet her, and that tipped me off. Not to mention you hitting on me. No guys do that, especially college guys with good looks. You were sketchy from the very beginning, and I played you the way you thought you played me. Why do you think I organized this dinner?"

Leah gapes at Martha and shares a look with Toni, who looks so proud of her best friend that she is nearly beaming. Fatin smirks and wraps her arm over Martha's shoulders before speaking.

"So this is how it's going to go, asshole. You will leave us the fuck alone, and if you don't, we are calling the cops on your ass, and you can join your pedophile uncle in prison for a sweet family reunion. Thanks for the evidence, but we have places to be and lawyers to call. So good luck with your shit life or whatever."

Toni and Leah release Alex and quickly head towards Martha and Fatin, none of them sparing Alex a second look as they walk around the corner and back into the dining area. Leah sags in relief and wraps her arm around Fatin's waist as they walk towards the door where their friends are waiting outside. 

Fatin presses a lingering kiss to her hair. "You okay?" She whispers, and Leah nods.

"Thanks to you. I thought I was going to have to deck Alex to get him to back off."

"Not going to lie, I wish that had happened. Asshole deserved a broken jaw," Fatin mutters, and Leah hums in agreement.

"What the hell took you guys so long?" Rachel asks, looking at them all, annoyed and Toni groans, wrapping her arms over Leah's and Martha's shoulders. 

"Alex was bad news, so we kicked him to the curb. We will explain on the way to get some ice cream," Toni says, and Rachel frowns, sharing confused glances with Dot, Shelby and Nora before nodding.

"Alright, let's go."

//

"He what!" Dot and Rachel shout simultaneously, pausing mid-bite to stare at Leah and Martha in disbelief.

"He used Martha to get close to me," Leah repeats, reaching over to grip Martha's hand in hers, sending her an apologetic smile. Martha squeezes her hand in return and shakes her head, silently telling her it's okay.

"I knew something was up when I saw him follow me around for a few days before he approached me in the coffee shop. And he dropped Leah's name by accident when he was asking about my friends. That cemented my suspicions. So I played along, and Fatin caught their altercation on video, so we have even more evidence on Jeff. He asked Alex to deal with Leah on his behalf," Martha says calmly, and Shelby shakes her head, reaching across the table to take Martha's other hand and runs her thumb over her knuckles.

"Marty, that is terrible. I'm sorry he did that to you," She says quietly, and Martha smiles slightly, shrugging.

"I'm used to it."

Leah's jaw clenches, and she catches the sad and angry looks that cross the other girls' features. Martha deserves better. She should be treated with respect and loved for who she is, not made fun of or used.

"That's messed up," Rachel mutters, looking angrier than Leah has seen her before, and Leah looks to her left to glance at Fatin. Fatin sends her a soft smile and presses a kiss to her cheek.

"You okay?" She murmurs, and Leah nods, resting her forehead to Fatin's cheek.

"You should have hit him," Nora says bluntly, and everyone turns to face her where she sits at the end of the picnic table next to Dot.

"I nearly did," Toni and Leah say in unison, and Leah grins when Toni sits forward to peer around Martha in an attempt to meet Leah's gaze, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Hitting him would have got us in trouble," Martha argues, and Dot scoffs.

"Self-defence. Alex threatened Leah and cornered her in an empty hallway out of sight."

"He also lunged at me attempting to grab my phone," Fatin adds, and Dot points to her, nodding.

"Exactly, that would have justified it. Plus, there are cameras all over that restaurant."

"Everything worked out," Shelby says, smoothly intervening on Martha's behalf and Leah nods.

"Yes. We will take the video to my lawyer tomorrow, so I think it's time we stop talking about the asshole and help search for suitable partners to match Martha with because Alex doesn't get to ruin that for her."

Martha giggles and knocks her elbow into Leah's, earning a wink in return as Fatin, Dot and Toni all jump at the opportunity to begin search Instagram. 

Leah catches Rachel's sour expression before she schools her face and forces herself to focus on her ice cream that has melted in her cup. Leah glances around, wondering if anyone else caught Rachel's weird vibe, but everyone is too distracted with their phones and offering them to Martha every time they find a guy they think she will like. 

With Fatin now on the other end of the picnic table squished between Dot and Shelby gleefully scrolling through her phone, Leah takes the opportunity to tap Rachel's leg with her foot under the table to gain her attention. Rachel looks up quickly, frowning, and Leah tilts her head to the left, jerking her chin in the direction of the park next to the ice cream parlour. Rachel hesitates, glancing back at their friends for a moment before she nods and stands, the two slipping away. 

Fatin does look up and sends Leah a concerned look, but she sends her a reassuring smile, and Fatin relaxes, going back to her phone.

Rachel and Leah walk for a few minutes in silence, watching kids run around playing soccer as the sun slowly dips behind the trees.

"What did you want, Rilke?" Rachel asks gruffly, and Leah's lips twitch as she shoves her hands into her pant pockets, stopping in front of a large oak tree. 

"Are you upset with Martha?" She asks, and Rachel looks at her in bewilderment.

"What? Of course not."

"Then what's got, you all grumpy Reid? Do you not want us to find her someone?" Leah asks casually, already knowing she is right, but she keeps her face blank when Rachel's eyes flare.

"Of course, I want her to find someone."

"Really? Because when Fatin practically tripped over herself to shove her phone in Martha's face to show her pictures of a guy, you looked like you wanted to set it on fire."

Rachel's jaw muscle twitches and she sends Leah a glare. "You don't know what you're talking about, Rilke. Just leave it alone."

Leah sighs and looks off into the distance, watching a puppy chase a ball its owner threw before she meets Rachel's dark gaze again. 

"If that's what you want, then fine. But you know it's okay to have feelings for Martha, right?" She asks, and Rachel nearly flinches but stays silent, her expression stony, not giving anything away. But after a minute of staring, she swallows and looks away.

"I don't like Martha like that," Rachel mutters, and Leah purses her lips.

"Okay," She replies quietly, knowing better than to push, and Rachel glances up at her warily.

“Okay.”

Leah sends her a small smile before looking over her shoulder to check on their friends. They seem to have settled down, none of them watching Leah and Rachel. Except for Martha.

Leah bites back a smirk before turning back to Rachel. “Sorry for ambushing you. That wasn’t my place. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable,” She says sincerely, and Rachel softens, sending Leah a small smile.

“It’s cool, Rilke; you are only trying to help. But you’re completely off base with this one.”

Leah nods slowly, her mind flashing to Martha’s curious yet concerned expression as she watched Rachel. Not Leah. 

“Sure. Let’s head back, yeah?” She replies, and Rachel nods, reaching out to pat Leah on the shoulder.

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

//

Leah picks at the string hanging over her knee where her jeans have a rip, listening to Dr. Klein’s pen scratch across her pad of paper, and Leah can’t help the way her knee bounces as she waits for Gretchen to speak.

“You’ve been through a few rough weeks, Leah. With reconnecting with your parents, someone leaking your name to the press, the upcoming trial, and now this Alex character. Not to mention maintaining your relationship with Fatin. That is a lot to handle. How do you feel about all of that?” Gretchen asks, and Leah shrugs, avoiding eye contact. She lets her eyes focus on her fingers that twist and pull the thread of her jeans.

“Fine.”

There is a long pause, and when Leah looks up, Gretchen has her brows raised and crosses her legs before speaking again.

“Just fine? So nothing of that has triggered your anxiety or leaves you feeling stressed?”

Leah shrugs again, and the bouncing of her knee speeds up. “I’m always stressed and anxious. This is nothing new, just different circumstances.”

Gretchen nods slowly before going back to scribbling on her paper. “What about the trial? Are you nervous about testifying against Mr. Galanis?” She asks, glancing up curiously, and Leah’s throat tightens.

“Sure. I hate public speaking,” Leah jokes, and Gretchen quirks a brow before writing something else. 

“So you are not letting yourself think about it then,” Gretchen says, and Leah knows it’s not a question. She is stating a fact, and Leah bites back a grimace. That is precisely what she is doing. 

Dr. Klein doesn’t wait for her to reply before continuing. “Tell me about Jeff.”

Leah’s stomach lurches, and she seizes the bouncing of her knee.“What about him?" She asks, and Gretchen tilts her head as she stares Leah down.

"Everything. You will have to recount this to a jury, a judge, a crowd of onlookers and Jeff himself. If you can't tell me, then how are you going to speak about it in court with lawyers discrediting your story?"

Leah releases a huff of breath and looks off to the window, actively ignoring Gretchen's probing gaze.

"I met him the night of his book promotion at my school," Leah mutters, and for the rest of her story, she continues to stare out the window.


	17. month eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day one of the trial begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, first of all, I would like to say thank you for all of your support. It means the world to me! I love reading your feedback.
> 
> Secondly, I feel like I need to point out that I am in no way a lawyer or in any way a court official and the two years of police foundations was little help in writing this court scene. I googled some stuff, but other than that, I am winging it, so I apologize in advance if it is trash and wholly unrealistic. Blame television for that.
> 
> Anyway thank you, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Leah tugs at the lapels of her blazer for the thirtieth time in fifteen minutes. She can't help it. Today is the first day of the trial, and she thinks she is going to be sick. For a month, she has practiced her answers to her lawyer's questions and was even coached on what to say to the defence lawyer. But somehow, that does little to reassure her. She is going to lose. She can't seem to think anything different. She is going to lose, and Jeff is going to end up a free man and will come after her for this. Not to mention Alex. She hadn't seen him around since their altercation in the restaurant last month, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been watching her still.

"I can't do this," Leah gasps, standing up from her seat abruptly, and Fatin looks up at her in surprise, along with Rana and Michelle, her lawyer.

"Lee-" Fatin begins, reaching for her hand, but Leah yanks her arm back and shakes her head, stepping away on wobbly legs.

"No. No, I can't. This-this was a huge mistake, I should never have said anything," She says in one breath, and Rana is quick to stand, reaching out to take Leah by the shoulders, ducking her head to meet Leah's wild gaze.

"Honey, breathe. You can do this. And standing up for yourself against your abuser is never a mistake. It is so brave, sweetheart. You deserve this closure, and he deserves to be imprisoned for what he has done to you and all those other girls. You are a role model for them now. You aren't letting him get away with paying them those settlements, and because of you, they are also testifying," Rana says quietly and Leah's eyes water.

"I'm scared. If we lose... Rana, he will come after me. He sent Alex to threaten me only because he couldn't do it himself," She whispers, and Rana's face softens.

"We are not going to lose Leah," Rana replies and Leah swallows.

"You don't know that. The judge could be sexist, or the jury, and they won't care for the evidence. It happens all the time. They always believe the man over the woman."

Before Rana can speak again, Michelle's phone goes off, and she frowns, reading the message on the screen.

"Oh, wow," She says, and Leah is quick to step towards her, her stomach clenching.

"What?" Leah asks, and Michelle looks up at her quickly.

"We have the name of the person who leaked your information to the press. It's Jeanette Dao, Defence Attorney Evans' assistant. As well as Alex Carter's girlfriend."

Leah's eyes widen, and she whips around to look at Fatin, who looks so bewildered it would be funny if Leah didn't feel the same way.

"You're saying Galanis' lawyer's assistant and nephew's girlfriend is responsible for leaking Leah's name?" Fatin asks incredulously, and Michelle nods.

"Precisely. My P.I. finally traced the trail back to their office. He contacted a detective and passed on his notes. They finally got a warrant to search the building and found emails on Jeanette's computer between Alex and multiple reporters. She deleted them but failed to clear her sent file," Michelle explains, and Fatin shakes her head.

"Rookie mistake," She mutters, and Leah nearly chuckles.

"So, what does this mean?" Rana asks, and Michelle purses her lips as she thinks it over.

"Well, considering the leak was intentional, involving a minor, and completely goes against the ban the judge placed on the case stating no information is to be released, it could be considered an act of Publication of Private Facts, also known as Private Disclosure, which isn't technically illegal in terms of earning a prison sentence. It is a civil law issue, not criminal, but the victim can sue the person as their rights to privacy was violated."

"So it will not directly affect the trial?" Fatin asks, and Michelle shakes her head.

"No, which I know seems strange as it involves all the same details, but as I said, it is not a criminal case. It doesn't seem like Mr. Galanis was aware of the plan Jeanette and Alex came up with, so he cannot be held responsible. Nor Attorney Evans. Ms. Dao will be fired, of course, and if you wish to continue with a lawsuit, you absolutely can," Michelle says, and Leah rubs her brow, suddenly exhausted.

"I think I can only handle one court case at a time, so I'm just going to forget about it for now," Leah replies, and Michelle nods.

"Of course. If you do decide to go ahead with it, I can recommend a great civil law lawyer."

"Thank you," Leah murmurs as she takes her seat next to Fatin once more.

The commotion from the end of the hall pulls their attention, and when Leah sees who is walking into the building, her breath stutters, and for the second time in twenty minutes, she feels like she will throw up.

Jeff is walking inside dressed in a sharp navy blue suit, his beard trimmed and hair neatly combed back. He looks exactly as she remembers, only now he has a pair of thick black-framed glasses on his face, which she instinctively wants to scoff at. He has perfect vision and has no reason to be wearing them.

Immediately his eyes lock on Leah, and he lets his gaze trail down her body slowly before returning to her face, and a tiny smirk pulls at his lips. Leah's stomach lurches, but she remains steady as she stares him down, and after a minute, his lawyer taps his arm and motions to the courtroom, forcing him to take his eyes off her.

"You alright, Lee? You are looking pale," Fatin says quietly, reaching out to place her hand on Leah's knee.

"Yeah," Leah says, jerking her head in a tight nod once Jeff steps through the doors. "I'm good. I'm just going to get some air real quick."

Fatin frowns but doesn't saying anything or offer to go with her, which Leah appreciates. She needs a little time to herself to process everything. She stands and nods when Michelle reminds her to be back in ten minutes before she heads down the hall and out the front doors of the courthouse. As soon as she is outside, she sucks in a deep breath and closes her eyes, feeling better now that she is surrounded by fresh air.

"Leah, honey."

Leah opens her eyes and sees her parents walking up the steps dressed in their best clothing. Her dad's beard is gone, and his hair has been cut, now gelled back. He's also in a black dress shirt and black dress slacks, his grey jacket draped over his arm as he helps her mother up the steps. She is in a maroon knee-length dress that hugs her curves well and has a moderate neckline with two thick straps on her shoulders. She looks elegant with her hair pulled up in a top-knot and black heels on her feet.

Leah smiles when they reach her and immediately falls into her father's embrace. Normally she is conscious of keeping her distance when they spend time together, but today she needs comfort. He presses a lingering his to her head and holds her tight, allowing her to bury her face in his neck for a long minute. When she pulls back, she hugs her mom, soaking in the calm that her mother radiates.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" Kurt asks, placing a hand on her back when she steps back from her mother and Leah sighs.

"I'm wracked with nerves and non-stop nausea, but other than that, I'm good."

He sends her a sympathetic smile and rubs his hand between her shoulder blades while her mother digs through her purse in search of something.

"Here," Maryann says, holding out the item to Leah. When it's placed in her palm, she chuckles and sends her mother a smile.

"Thanks, mom," Leah says as she unwraps the anti-nausea tablet and pops it in her mouth, chewing quickly. Maryann winks and squeezes Leah's chin between her forefinger and thumb.

"I know how scary it is, so I came prepared. I already had two on the way here," She says, and Leah grins when Maryann drops her chin.

"We should head in," Kurt says, checking his watch. "I'm sure you are to be in there earlier than the rest of us."

Leah nods and twists to open the door behind her. She lets her mother enter first, and then her father takes over, holding the door so she can walk inside ahead of him. When they reach the courtroom doors, Fatin is there waiting with Rana and Michelle.

"Perfect timing," Michelle says with a smile, waving Leah over. Leah glances over at her parents and sends them a small smile, the two of them reaching out to squeeze her arm supportively before she leaves them to meet Michelle.

As she passes Fatin, she stops and pulls her in for a tight hug and a kiss to the corner of her mouth before she enters. Rana's hand ghosting her back is the last thing she feels before stepping through the doorway behind Michelle.

//

Leah's testimony is the first one to kickstart the trial. In the next few days, the rest of the girls who came forward will give their statements, but since Leah is the only one out of them with a substantial relationship with Jeff and the most evidence, she is the star witness.

Leah sits with her hands tucked under her thighs to keep herself from fidgeting after being sworn in. That was one of the first things she was coached on.

When she finally allows herself to look out into the audience, Fatin is the first person she lays eyes on, taking comfort in the fact that she is already watching her with a proud look on her face. Fatin sends her a thumbs-up, and Leah takes a deep breath before sending Fatin a tiny smile. She can do this.

After Fatin, Rana and her parents all sit side by side in the front row, sending their own version of supportive smiles. But when she looks behind them, she nearly cries.

Every single one of her friends is there. They all smile and wave, and Leah has to swallow the lump in her throat before she sends them a tentative smile. She hopes after this; they won't see her too differently. None of them know the full details of what Jeff has done to her, and for a split second, she panics at the thought of any of them looking at her like she is damaged, but she forces herself to not think about it. Her friends are the best. They won't treat her like she is fragile. When she looks to the courtroom's left side, Alex sits behind Jeff with an older woman Leah assumes is Jeff's mother.

The judge's gavel hitting the desk jolts Leah from her thoughts, and she immediately looks towards Michelle, who is seated at the table directly across from the witness stand.

"Court is in session; the prosecution may proceed," Judge Lake says, her voice smooth and professional, and Leah has never felt so happy when she saw that the judge was a woman.

Michelle stands and gathers her papers before moving to stand before Leah, stopping a few feet away.

"Thank you, Your Honour," She says, nodding to Judge Lake before focusing on Leah. She sends her a supportive smile before she begins.

"What is your name?" Michelle asks, and Leah lets her shoulders relax.

"Leah Rilke."

"And how do you know the defendant, Mr. Galanis, Miss Rilke?"

"We were romantically involved," Leah says, and Michelle nods before continuing with her next question.

"And how old are you?"

"Seventeen," Leah replies.

"And when you first met Mr. Galanis, how old were you?" Michelle asks, and Leah swallows, letting her eyes drift to the jury quickly, noticing all of them are watching her with rapt attention.

"Sixteen."

"Tell me, how did you two first meet?"

"After the presentation of his book at my high school. One of the faculty asked my friend Ian if he could take Mr. Galanis back to his hotel since she was unable to. Ian couldn't, so I offered," Leah explains, and her heart begins to pound because these next questions make her look like she was the one to come on to Jeff.

"And what happened after you drove him to his hotel?" Michelle asks, and Leah swallows.

"On the way, I asked if he wanted to get something to eat, and he did. So we stopped and had dinner. Before we parted for the night, we exchanged numbers."

"And who texted the other first?"

"He texted me," Leah says confidently, and Michelle nods, sending her a slight smile.

"How long after your meeting did that occur?"

"Two days," Leah replies, and Michelle shifts her papers, glancing down at the next page of notes.

"Can you tell me how old Mr. Galanis is, Miss Rilke?" Michelle asks when she glances up, and Leah nods.

"Thirty-four."

"And he knew you were in high school at this time, correct?"

Leah nods again. "Yes."

"So Mr. Galanis knowingly engaged in the form of companionship with you at the time you were sixteen. Did you have any hesitations regarding the relationship?" Michelle asks, and Leah bites the inside of her cheek before responding.

"I did in the beginning. I was aware of the age difference and wasn't sure of myself when I was responding to his messages but figured there was no harm in keeping contact."

"And why is that?"

"He was nice and considerate, and we both had a love of literature. I liked our conversations," Leah says, and Michelle nods along.

"So he never made you feel uncomfortable?"

"Not over text," Leah confesses, and Michelle tilts her head before turning to face the jury as she asks her next question.

"But he did make you uncomfortable in person, yes?" Michelle asks, turning around to face Leah when she reaches the jury box and Leah nods.

"A few weeks into texting, he asked me if I wanted to go out for coffee. For the most part, it was fine, but there were a few times where he would sit too close or place a hand on my knee or higher. I was unsure what to do, so I didn't comment on it."

"And did that behaviour continue over the time of your friendship?" Michelle asks, and Leah licks her lips.

"Yes."

"Did you ever reciprocate the touching or encourage more of it?"

"No."

On and on the questions go, Michelle continuously building up to the worst of Leah's relationship with Jeff, and when the final few questions come, Leah can barely say the words she needs to.

"Did Mr. Galanis rape you at any point in your relationship Miss Rilke?" Michelle asks bluntly but keeps her tone gentle, and Leah inhales slowly as she meets her eyes.

"Yes."

"How many times?"

"Three," Leah says quietly, but with the silence in the room, she may as well have shouted it. She catches a few jury members frown and look toward Jeff as if re-evaluating their impression of him as Michelle continues.

"Did he physically abuse you?"

"Yes."

"In what way?" Michelle asks, and Leah swallows roughly before recounting the events.

"He would grip my wrists so hard he left bruising, as well as on my hips and thighs during the times he forced himself on me. He would slap my face if I argued or tried to break free of him. He also liked to shake me as hard as he could while screaming in my face. A few times, my head hit the wall or door because of the force he used. He also choked me twice."

"Did you document these injuries, Miss Rilke?" Michelle asks, and Leah nods, straightening in her seat.

"Yes. I took pictures on my camera."

Michelle nods and pulls out a large envelope, and steps up to the judge's stand. "Your Honour, I would like to present the photographic evidence of Miss Rilke's injuries as well as the screen captures of the messages between her and Mr. Galanis over the course of their relationship."

Judge Lake nods and takes the envelope. "Proceed," She says, and Michelle moves back to her table to grab a second envelope that houses copies of the original photos she handed the judge.

Leah watches as Michelle begins to hold up one photo at a time to the jury and judge, depicting each injury Leah photographed of her body, all of which are timestamped. For the next thirty minutes, Michelle has Leah explain each photo to the jury, telling them what caused it and how long it took for them to heal, and when she is finished, Michelle moves on to the text messages.

Leah is exhausted by the time she finishes explaining the context of the messages, and finally, after two hours of being questioned by her lawyer, she is done.

"That is all, Your Honour," Michelle concludes, and Judge Lake nods, slamming the gavel into the desk.

"Thank you counselor. We will now take a one-hour recess. Please be back and ready to continue at three o'clock sharp," Judge Lake says before standing and exiting through the back of the room.

Leah lets the bailiff lead her towards Michelle as she is packing up her papers and placing them in her briefcase.

When she reaches her, Michelle sends her a smile and reaches out to squeeze her bicep. "You did wonderfully, Leah. Very professional and clear."

Leah sends her a small smile and nods. "Thank you."

"Go to your family and friends and get something to eat. We will meet up outside the room at ten to three, okay?" Michelle says, and Leah nods again.

"Okay."

As Leah meets up with everyone, she makes sure to ignore Jeff on the way out as his gaze burns a hole in her back. She knows the cross-examination from his lawyer will be terrible, and she refuses to give him the satisfaction of seeing her worry. For now, she is going to enjoy lunch with her family and friends.


	18. month eight pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trial continues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya! Thanks for all your lovely comments and kudos, they always make me smile.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter, and I apologize for any mistakes.

Fatin is sure she is even more nervous than Leah right now, and she is not the one on the stand.

Leah has been calm and collected for the past ten minutes as Attorney Evans tries everything to discredit her testimony. On the other hand, Fatin doesn't think she has taken a full breath since it started, and if it weren't for Shelby's hand in hers squeezing periodically to remind her to breathe, she would pass out.

Her mother and Leah's parents sit in the row in front of her, tense but nowhere near as anxious as her. A few times, Rana has turned around to check on her and reach back to squeeze Fatin's knee in support before focusing on Leah.

A sharp squeeze of her hand from Shelby pulls Fatin's attention back to the present, and she blinks. She hadn't been holding her breath of that much, she is certain. She glances curiously at Shelby, but her attention is on Leah, and immediately Fatin looks up at her girlfriend, who looks almost annoyed as she answers the question Fatin missed.

"Yes, I was the one to kiss him," Leah murmurs and Fatin stiffens, immediately straightening in her seat, along with Toni, who sits on her other side.

"So it is a safe assumption for one to make that you did, in fact, reciprocate his advances," Evans says, and Leah stares at him calmly.

"Is that a question?" Leah asks, and Fatin has to bite her lip to stop laughing from escape while Toni covers her mouth to hide her amusement.

There is an awkward pause as Evans shifts in place before replying. "Let me rephrase," He says, clearly annoyed with Leah or himself, Fatin can't tell. "Would you agree that because of you making the first move on Mr. Galanis that, one could assume you did, in fact, reciprocate his previous interest in you?"

Leah considers the question carefully before she dips her chin slightly. "If it had happened in the very beginning, then yes," She says, and Fatin catches Michelle shifting in her seat, the side of her face visible to Fatin as she looks to the jury, and she seems pleased with Leah's answer.

"Please expand on that, Miss Rilke," Evans says coolly, and Leah nods.

"Mr. Galanis' advances happened early on, much earlier than that kiss. I did not reciprocate then. Only after months of increasingly flirtatious texts and compliments and sly touches from him did I begin to think I had feelings for him. It was not instantaneous. I was confused yet flattered by his attention as I had never had that before," Leah replies and pride fills Fatin's chest when she sees no sign of nerves in her eyes. They are clear and determined, and Fatin can't help but smile a little. That's her girl.

"But you did find him attractive in the beginning?" Evans argues, and Fatin immediately rolls her eyes.

Typical.

"I thought he was good-looking, yes," Leah says patiently, and Evans nods.

"So you would agree that the attraction between you two was mutual?"

"Depends on what form of attraction you are referring to."

Fatin smirks when Leah's diplomatic answer throws Evans. He was expecting a yes or no from her; she can tell by how he stops mid-flip of his page.

"Sexual attraction, Miss Rilke," Evans says like he is explaining it to a toddler, and immediately Leah shakes her head.

"I cannot speak for Mr. Galanis but on behalf of myself; I would have to say no. I was not sexually attracted to him. I was attracted to his general looks and intrigued by his mind. I did not have the desire for an intimate relationship when we met."

"Very well," Evans muses as he finally flips his page and looks down at his next question. "When did the desire for an intimate relationship form for you?" He asks, and Leah licks her lips as she thinks back.

"I think around the three and a half month mark," She says, and Evans straightens, seeming to gain his composure back with that answer.

"And that night of the kiss, what happened?" He asks almost smugly, and Fatin grips Shelby's hand tight, noticing the way Michelle leans forward on the table in front of her, bracing her elbows on it as she waits for Leah's answer. This must be the line of questioning she was worried about.

"We ended up having sex," Leah says bluntly, and even though Fatin knew that is what happened, she still hates the thought of Leah with him in any form, especially when so much of it was because of his manipulation.

"And is it true that you told Mr. Galanis you had just turned eighteen days prior?" Evans asks, and Leah's jaw muscle ticks briefly before she nods.

"I had, yes."

"Why lie about your age, Miss Rilke? That seems like something a person would do because they are impatient and experiencing a great deal of desire."

Fatin inhales sharply, and Michelle sits up straight as Leah, for the first time since the cross-examination began, looks towards her for a brief moment. Whatever she sees on Michelle's face has Leah swallowing and returning her gaze to Evans.

"Lying about my age hadn't been a conscious thought. I was reluctant to lose his interest by that point after he sent a text telling me he thought about kissing me all the time. So I told him I was turning eighteen in the next week."

"So, at this point, you are experiencing sexual attraction for Mr. Galanis, correct?" Evans asks, and Leah purses her lips.

"Yes."

"And you were the one to initiate intimacy, correct?"

"Yes."

"As for the night of your consummation, did you at any moment tell Mr. Galanis you did not want to continue?" Evans asks, and Fatin grits her teeth. She hates how smug he sounds.

"No."

"But you claimed that he had sexually assaulted you. If it did not happen the first time, was it the second?" He asks, and Leah frowns a little, along with a few members of the jury. That question seems weird, even to Fatin.

"No."

"So the first two times were completely consensual, yes?" Evans asks, tilting his head as he watches Leah and Fatin glances towards Toni, who looks angry as she stares at him.

"Yes," Leah says, and Evans hums as he flips his page.

"How many times did you and Mr. Galanis have sex, Miss Rilke?"

"Objection, Your Honour!" Michelle calls, standing from her seat, and Judge Lake gives her her full attention. "Attorney Evans' line of questioning is crude and unnecessary."

Judge Lake raises her hand. "Overruled Attorney Hayes. Mr. Evans, please do get to your real question," She orders and Michelle sits back down while Evans nods and refocuses back on Leah.

"What I am trying to ask Miss Rilke is if Mr. Galanis assaulted you as you claim, why did you not leave the first time it happened? You must have found some pleasure if you continued to return for more, leading some to believe that you possibly lied about the assaults to seek attention."

Leah blinks and looks at Evans like he has lost his mind just as Michelle explodes again, and Judge Lake is quick to slam her gavel. "Attorney Evans. That question is out of line, and the jury is to dismiss it and this line of questioning. If you are not going to ask appropriate questions, Attorney Evans, I will advise you to end this cross-examination," She says sharply, and Michelle slowly sits back down as Evans collects his papers.

Fatin takes a deep breath and releases Toni and Shelby's hands, suddenly aware she is gripping them like a lifeline. That fucking prick.

"No more further questions, Your Honour," Evans says smoothly, looking unfazed as he walks back to his table where Jeff is sitting calmly, looking somewhat amused, which has Fatin wanting to punch him in the face even more than she has in the past.

"Since there are no more questions by either the prosecution or defence, this court is adjourned. Everyone is to return tomorrow at nine o'clock sharp to continue with the proceedings of this case," Judge Lake says and stands smoothly before exiting the room.

"That fucker was just looking for a beating," Toni mutters as they stand, and Fatin nods in agreement.

"Who the hell asks those questions in court?" Dot asks in disbelief, and they all shake their heads at a loss.

"The jury didn't like it," Nora says, and Fatin glances her way in surprise.

"Really?" Rachel asks, and Nora nods as everyone focuses on her.

"A lot of the women looked disgusted, and the older men were uncomfortable. Only two people, both younger men, were unfazed," She says, and Fatin relaxes a little.

That must be a good sign, then.

"There she is," Shelby says sweetly as Leah reaches them, and Fatin drags her into the tightest hug she is capable of giving. For a long moment, they stand in the aisle, clinging to each other before Toni is knocking Fatin out of the way.

"Stop hogging my bestie," Toni grumbles as she hauls Leah into her, earning an eye roll from Fatin and a giggle from Leah.

"You okay, Rilke?" Toni murmurs when she pulls back, and Leah sends her a soft smile.

"I'm alright. Exhausted, but not too bad."

"Understandable," Toni says and squeezes Leah's shoulder before allowing Shelby to hug Leah. Everyone takes their turn, even Rachel, who generally dislikes physical affection, but to everyone's surprise, she holds Leah for a good two minutes, going as far as rubbing her back.

"Leah, Honey," Maryann murmurs, reaching out to place a hand on Leah's back when Rachel releases her, and Leah doesn't hesitate to dive into her mother's arms. Kurt wraps his arms around them both, and Fatin's lips curl up a little. Leah's parents have been treating her well over the past couple of months, and she can tell Leah has been happier since reconciling with them. She personally still has some reservations, but so far, they have been treating Leah the way she deserves, and that will be enough for now.

"We are so proud of you, babygirl," Kurt murmurs, and Leah burrows her face into his neck for a moment before pulling back.

"You did so well," Rana adds, and Leah smiles, reaching out to hug her.

"Thank you. All of you, for coming. It meant a lot," Leah says, her eyes water as she trails her gaze over all her friends.

"Always," Fatin murmurs as Leah steps into her side, wrapping her arms around Fatin's waist and pressing her nose into her cheek.

"Come on, everyone, dinner at our house," Rana says, with a smile, and all the girls perk up. "Pizza good with everyone?"

//

Their friends stay the night, all sprawled out in the living room since they plan to go to the trial the next day too. Leah still has to speak again, answering more of her lawyer's questions before the other girls and Dr. Klein are brought as witnesses.

Leah has already told Fatin she will be a spectator for the rest of the trial to support the girls victimized by Jeff, and Fatin immediately decides to join her.

She wants to be in the room when that piece of shit is convicted.

Their dinner had been full of Jeff bashing as all of their friends gathered in the backyard while the parents sat in the kitchen talking. Rana was quick to treat Leah's parents with kindness even after knowing what they have done, and if that wasn't some role model type shit, Fatin doesn't know what is. She is happy that she has her mom to look up to and model after. She never wants to be cruel or hurt those she loves, like her father has done.

She never wants to hurt Leah specifically. She is so in love with the girl she doesn't know what to do with herself. She has struggled for months not to let those words slip out, at least not until the trial is over. But she is getting impatient, especially when Leah is looking so soft and gorgeous in the moonlight where she sits curled up on one of the pool lounge chairs wrapped in a giant blanket.

"Sneaking out on me, Rilke? That's mean," Fatin whispers as she steps outside, and Leah looks over, sending her a sheepish smile.

"Sorry. I was restless," Leah says quietly, and Fatin immediately climbs onto the chair with her, Leah wrapping her in the blanket too, Fatin now laying back against Leah's chest with her arms wrapped snug around her.

"Be restless, but do it with me on you so I can sleep," Fatin teases, and a chuckle rumbles through Leah's chest, her lips pressing against Fatin's hair.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Ma'am? I like that. No, wait, Mistress. That is even better. Yeah, let's go with that one. You can call me Mistress from now on," Fatin says with a grin, and Leah snorts, poking Fatin in the side making her squirm.

"Please, we both know I'm the top in this relationship. If anything, you should be calling me Mistress."

Fatin gasps and twists her head so she can look over her shoulder and up at Leah. "You take that back. I am totally the Dom. I've got the outfit for it and everything."

Leah's brows raise, and she slips her hand up Fatin's side as she speaks. "Outfit? Are we talking all leather straps and high boots type deal?"

"Submit, and you'll find out," Fatin whispers with a smirk and Leah snickers as her hand slips into Fatin's long hair.

"Never," She murmurs, her lips brushing Fatin's teasing and Fatin groans. It's been forever since they've properly kissed. Nearly two full days. She hasn't gotten more than a peck from Leah, and it's been driving her mad.

Seeming to read her mind, Leah dips her chin in captures Fatin's lips in a bruising kiss. Fatin inhales sharply and reaches up to curl her fingers under Leah's chin to keep her in place as their lips move together roughly.

Teeth nip at bottom lips, and fingernails dig into scalps and sensitive skin as they get lost in each other. Fatin finds herself straddling Leah a few minutes into the makeout session and naturally rolls her hips into Leah's.

Leah stiffens right after, and Fatin yanks back immediately, eyes wide. "Shit. I'm sorry, Lee. I didn't mean-"

Hands cupping her cheeks cut Fatin off, and when she takes a breath and allows herself to really focus on Leah in the dim light coming from the back door, she swallows.

Leah doesn't look panicked, as if she was uncomfortable, but rather her eyes are dark with desire and lips are swollen and parted. The sight has Fatin's lower abdomen clenching.

"It's okay," Leah whispers, running her thumbs across Fatin's cheekbones. "That reaction was a good one, I promise. I was surprised, was all. I didn't realize how on edge I was until then."

Fatin swallows and nods slowly, searching Leah's shadowed face for any sign she is lying to make her feel better but finds nothing. "Still, we did get a little carried away," She says roughly, clearing her throat, and Leah smirks a little.

"Depends on who you ask, but I guess we shouldn't do anything more. Since literally everyone we know is just inside."

Fatin quirks a brow and leans down to suck Leah's bottom lip into her mouth for a few seconds before tugging on it with her teeth and releasing it with a pop. "Is this your way of telling me you want in my pants, Rilke?" She teases, and Leah chuckles, slipping both arms around Fatin's back and tugging her forward.

"Maybe," Leah whispers as Fatin's hips hit hers and Fatin bites back a moan when the movement sends a jolt of pleasure through her. Leah's thigh is conveniently placed between her legs, and she cups Leah's chin as she leans her head down, so their noses brush.

"That was dirty," Fatin murmurs, and Leah laughs breathlessly, the puff of air hitting Fatin's lips.

"You haven't seen anything yet, babe."

"It's Mistress to you," Fatin replies, and Leah releases a real laugh, immediately slapping her hand over her mouth to keep quiet while Fatin grins down at her smugly.

"You're an idiot," Leah sighs fondly, and Fatin winks, ducking her head to press a hard kiss to Leah's lips.

"But I'm your idiot," She says, and Leah hums, chasing Fatin's lips when she pulls back.

"That you are. But you are still totally a bottom Jadmani."

Fatin scoffs.

"Girl, you will be singing a different tune when we actually get down and dirty. I will blow your beautiful mind; you won't even remember your own name. I'm that good."

"Someone's cocky," Leah snickers, and Fatin smirks.

"With my experience, babe, I am allowed to be."

"Well, I guess we will have to wait and see who wins the title of Mistress. But fair warning, I'm not like those boys you fucked. I last longer than thirty seconds."

Fatin releases a bark of laughter which Leah immediately smothers with her lips, and she sinks into the messy kiss immediately. Leah's lips are like magic. They never fail to leave her head fuzzy and make her lose her train of thought. When they pull back, Fatin holds out her hand for Leah to shake.

"It's on Rilke."

//

Leah is ready for this all to be over. Michelle asked her questions swiftly, knowing Leah is exhausted, and soon enough, she is off the stand and sitting next to Michelle as Dr. Klein is brought in to testify on Leah's behalf. She is not to be cross-examined, and neither are the girls who follow.

They are part of Leah's defence. At the same time, Jeff has himself and his mother. Alex was unable to participate thanks to his decision to confront Leah and the video evidence Fatin took.

So when Jeff is finally on the stand, Leah makes sure to keep her eyes on his face the entire time. Michelle mentioned that a smart lawyer would not put the defendant on the stand, but it's a blessing for the prosecution. So she is impatiently waiting for Michelle's turn to cross-examine Jeff.

Evans' questions are basic and asking Jeff about his career and the awards he has won, along with his volunteer work with orphaned children, which Leah finds ironic. He asks Jeff if there have been any previous accusations against him until this year and tries to discredit all the girls who accused him of sexual assault and rape. Of course, Jeff's answer was no, and Evans latched onto his defence of one girl must have been lying, and then more followed in an attempt to ruin Jeff's reputation and career because they are attention-seeking and take information at face value. Leah had to control herself so as not to roll her eyes into the back of her head.

He has no defence, and everyone can tell. When Mrs. Galanis is questioned, she, of course, says her son is a good man, refusing to believe he could ever do any of those things the girls have claimed. She believes she has raised him to be better than that.

But Michelle shut that down when it was her turn to question Jeff.

"Mr. Galanis, is it true that your father is in prison for attempted murder and four counts of rape involving underaged girls?"

Leah nearly chokes when she hears the question, and Jeff freezes, glancing towards Evans. Evans looks bewildered, and immediately, Leah knows Jeff had not told him about that.

"Uh, yes," He says hesitantly, and Michelle continues.

"And is it true that Galanis is not your real last name?"

Leah sits up straighter and watches in fascination as Jeff shifts awkwardly, looking nervous.

"That's correct."

"Did you change your name to remove any ties of your father?" Michelle asks, and Jeff nods.

"Yes."

"And is it true that as a child you idolized your father?"

Jeff hesitates so long that Judge Lake has to intervene. "Mr. Galanis, please answer the question," She says, and Jeff clears his throat, his shoulders slumping some.

"Yes, I did," He finally replies, and Michelle looks pleased as she turns to grab a page off her desk and to move to walk over and hold it up for Jeff to see.

"Is this your signature Mr. Galanis?" She asks, and Jeff's expression shutters, leaving him looking like he had just been slapped when he sees what is on the paper.

"Yes," He whispers, and Michelle nods.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, what I have just shown Mr. Galanis is a printed copy of a sexual harassment complaint filed by a woman at Columbia University ten years ago where Mr. Galanis studied and soon after graduation began teaching. He was fired after a year when a student stepped forward, accusing him of sexual harassment in a classroom setting. Written in her words, and signed by both her and Mr. Galanis as well as the headmaster of the school is her recount of the events," Michelle says as she slowly walks in front of the jury box, holding up the paper for them all to see before she turns and hands it to Judge Lake to add to the evidence pile.

"Mr. Galanis, can you please state your age when your father was imprisoned for his crimes?" She asks, now standing in front of Jeff once more.

"Thirteen," Jeff says, and Michelle nods.

"When did you learn of what he had done? Did your mother keep the facts from you at all?" She asks, and Jeff swallows.

"No. I already knew before his arrest."

The silence that descends is deafening, and Leah holds her breath, waiting for Michelle's next question.

"How did you learn of such details, Mr. Galanis?" Michelle asks, and Jeff shifts in his seat, looking pale. He glances to Evans, who is pinching his brow in defeat, and then to the jury waiting expectantly, all of their eyes burning into him intensely.

"I walked into our house after school earlier than expected and saw my father on top of a girl in the living room."

Leah feels like someone had just kicked her in the gut. A ringing fills her ears as Jeff's eyes meet hers while Michelle speaks again.

"How old were you?" She asks, and Jeff sighs, looking away from Leah to meet Michelle's eyes.

"Eight."

"And did you know the girl? Did you know her age?" Michelle replies, and Jeff nods once.

"She was my neighbour. And she was nine years old."

"So you knew of your father's deviant behaviour since you were eight years old and never discussed it with anyone before, is that correct?"

"Yes."

"Did your mother know?" Michelle asks bluntly, and Jeff shakes his head immediately.

"No. Only me."

"Why did you not tell someone?"

"My father told me that it wasn't what it looked like. That they were playing, and I wasn't to tell anyone," Jeff mutters, and Michelle purses her lips.

"Was that the only time you saw him in the act?"

"No."

Jesus, Leah thinks, and she has to swallow the bile that rises in her throat as Michelle continues. "How many times?" She asks, and Jeff licks his lips.

"Two."

"And did your father ever touch you inappropriately?"

Jeff looks like he wants to say yes, maybe thinking it would be a good defence, but to Leah's surprise, he shakes his head. "No."

"Did you think what he was doing was okay?" Michelle asks, and Jeff's lips pinch as he stares her down.

"No."

"So you knew it was wrong, and as you got older, you still felt it was not worth telling an adult or the police?" Michelle asks dubiously, and Jeff's jaw clenches.

"He was my father; I loved him."

"What about those girls he violated, Mr. Galanis? Were they not worth protecting? Your own classmates were in danger, and two of them you saw with your own eyes, and you still refused to help them? According to your mother, she raised you to be respectful and protect women, but you did not. Why is that? Did your father threaten you? Or was it something else?"

Again the courtroom falls silent as Jeff struggles to answer, and when the silence remains, Michelle shakes her head.

"No more questions, Your Honour," She states and heads back to the table where Leah is sat.

Jeff sits frozen in his chair, breathing ragged as he struggles not to lose his temper. Leah knows that look; if he were in private, he would be throwing or hitting something.

"Mr. Galanis, please take your seat," Judge Lake orders, and after a moment, Jeff stands and stalks towards his table where Evans waits expressionless.

"Attorney Evans, please read your closing statement," Judge Lake says, and Evans sighs but stands and faces the jury.

As he begins to speak, it is with less passion than before, and the jury watches with disinterest as he tries to defend his client. But, Michelle's cross-examination destroyed any shred of hope for him, and everyone knows it.

When he is finished, Michelle takes her turn. Soon, the jury is being told to carefully think over all the evidence and testimonies before deciding a verdict by Judge Lake. Everyone is dismissed as they wait for the jury to decide, and Leah's heart pounds hard the entire three hours it takes for them to deliberate.

"Babe, sit down," Fatin murmurs as Leah paces before her and everyone else as they sit in the chairs lining the court's hall.

"Can't," Leah says, continuing to walk eight steps and then spin and walk another eight. She is thrumming with energy and nerves, and everyone watches her with sympathy.

"Leah?" A girl calls a few steps quietly away, and when Leah stops and looks over her shoulder, she sees Alanna Fraser standing there wringing her hands in front of her. She is the oldest of the girls who testified against Jeff, now nineteen, but when she was fifteen, Jeff raped her at a camp she was attending over the summer. He had been a counsellor in charge of the creative writing program they had.

"Alanna," Leah greats with a smile, walking over with her hand outstretched. Alanna takes it immediately and sends Leah a dimpled grin.

"I just wanted to meet you properly and thank you for everything you've done. If you hadn't stepped forward, we wouldn't have gotten justice for what he did. Just some sleazy money to shut us up," Alanna says, and Leah shakes her head.

"No need to thank me. You all took the first step; if you hadn't, I wouldn't have done anything. I didn't know there had been girls before me."

"Still, you had the most evidence and a full relationship with him. That couldn't have been easy," Alanna says gently, and Leah shrugs, sending her a slight smile.

"It wasn't, but it's over now. Hopefully, we get a conviction out of it, or it will really suck."

"Are you kidding?" Alanna asks in disbelief. "Your lawyer was a fucking badass. She ripped him apart. There is no way that the jury won't find him guilty."

Leah chuckles and glances over at Michelle, who hears Alanna's statement and sends them both a wink. "Yeah, she is amazing. But you know how cases like this can go."

Alanna's smile turns sad, and she nods. "I do. But have faith, okay? And if you would be interested, the other girls and I have discussed keeping in touch with each other. Like having a group chat or something and maybe meeting up from time to time."

Leah grins. "That would be great."

"Awesome," Alanna says and pulls out a folded piece of paper. "Here is all of our contact information. Text me, and I'll add us all into a chat."

Leah takes the paper and tucks it in her pocket with a nod. "I will, thanks."

Alanna sends her bright smile before she tucks her hair behind her ear. "This might be weird, but is it okay if I hug you?"

Leah chuckles and nods. "Of course."

With Leah's consent, Alanna immediately wraps her arms around Leah's shoulders and squeezes tight, the two of them the same height which Leah enjoys. She doesn't have to duck down.

After a minute, they pull back, and Alanna flashes her dimples again. "See you around, Leah."

"You too," Leah says and waves as Alanna walks off, back to her family, who are standing down the hall waiting.

"Don't tell me I've got competition," Fatin teases, and Leah grins as she spins around, her arms immediately wrapping around Fatin's waist, hugging her close.

"Never," Leah murmurs, brushing their lips together, and Fatin grins brightly.

"Good. Cause I'll fight a bitch even if it ruins my nails."

Leah laughs brightly and presses a hard kiss to Fatin's lips.

"My knight in sparkling pink armour," She teases, and Fatin winks.

"Damn right."

The doors to the courtroom are shoved open suddenly, and Leah jolts, looking over her shoulder to see the bailiff standing there.

"The verdict has been decided," He says gruffly, and Leah's stomach tightens. "Please return to the courtroom."

Leah looks back at Fatin, who sends her a soft smile. "You got this, Lee."

Leah nods. She's got this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this another cliffhanger? 
> 
> My bad.


	19. month nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The verdict is revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two updates in one day? I'm on a roll.  
> Hope you kids enjoy this one!  
> Thank you for all your support you're the best.

"Mr. Galanis, please stand," Judge Lake orders, and Jeff does, his face stoic and fists clenched as he watches the juror designated to give the verdict also move to stand at the edge of the jury box, holding a small piece of paper in hand.

"Juror fifty-one, has the jury come to a verdict?" Judge Lake asks, and the middle-aged blonde woman with the number fifty-one stuck to her shirt nods.

"Yes, Your Honour."

"Please read the verdict," Judge Lake says, and Leah holds her breath as the woman looks down at the page.

"The members of the jury have found Mr. Galanis guilty of all six charges of sexual assault as well as one count of domestic violence, recommending the sentence of twenty-five years to life in prison."

Leah's head spins when she hears the guilty verdict, and she immediately grips Michelle's arm for support, her relief so sudden and intense she sways in her seat, and Michelle smiles widely, reaching over to wrap her in a side hug.

"Thank you, please take your seat," Judge Lake says, and the woman nods, quickly moving back into the jury box. Judge Lake turns to face Jeff, who looks like he is about to be sick.

"The jury has spoken. Mr. Galanis, I hear by sentence you to life in prison, with a chance of parole only after twenty-five years have been served."

The gavel hits the desk with a sharp smack, and Leah watches Jeff flinch. The bailiff is quick to walk over and cuff Jeff's hands behind his back as his mother cries, and Alex watches in horror as he is led out the side door.

"Court is adjourned." Judge Lake stands, nodding to Leah and Michelle and then the jury members before exiting.

Leah releases a breathless laugh and looks over her shoulder to find everyone grinning. She stands and quickly runs around the barrier to dive into Fatin's arms. Her friends cheer and swarm them in a group hug, pulling a laugh from Leah.

When she pulls back, she looks around for Alanna and the others, finding them waiting a few feet away, watching with happy smiles.

"I'll be right back," Leah tells her friends and they all nod, watching as she heads towards the smaller group.

"We did it!" Alanna shouts, and Leah beams, allowing Alanna to throw her arms around her before she turns to focus on the other girls.

"Dude, you are like my personal hero now," Renee (The second of them to be assaulted and the second oldest at eighteen) says, and Leah blushes.

"No, no," Leah says with a shake of her head, and Renee laughs, patting her on the shoulder.

"Too late, Rilke. You are badass, and I want to be like you when I grow up." Leah laughs, and Renee sends her a wink before giving her a quick hug. "Seriously, Leah. You are amazing, and I am so grateful you stepped up and helped us."

Leah nods and sends her a small smile. "Thank you for coming forward first. I only did it because I learned of your stories and that he wasn't going to be charged with anything."

"A lot of people would have ignored it and let us take the money, though," Olivia says, the youngest of the group at fifteen, and Leah nods.

"That's true. But let's agree we are all badass and all of our efforts equally put him where he belongs," Leah says, and they nod.

"You coming to our celebratory dinner with us?"

Leah looks towards Daisy, the shyest girl of the group and second youngest at age sixteen, who Leah learned goes to the school one district over. And then to Quinn, who is the same age as Leah but the shortest of the group, standing at five-two. She is tiny, but according to her testimony, she gave Jeff a broken nose in the midst of his assault on her.

"Where were you thinking?" Leah asks, and Daisy smirks.

"Oliver's Steakhouse, of course."

Leah's brows raise. Oliver's is the fanciest restaurant in the city, and Leah has only been twice in her lifetime.

"We booked a reservation for eight o'clock tonight," Alanna says and nods towards Leah's group of supporters. "Invite anyone you'd like. My parents booked a private section for us."

Leah grins brightly. "We will be there."

//

Dinner is a lively affair, and Leah has never been happier. Jeff is finally out of the picture for good, and she has five amazing new friends. They seamlessly blend with the rest of the girls, and the parents hit it off without a hitch.

"Did you see his fucking face?" Toni says with a cackle, and Leah grins as Quinn immediately attempts to mimic Evans' expression after the verdict was read.

"Yes!" Alanna says with a laugh pointing at Quinn. "That's exactly it. The stupid dazed look he got was priceless. Like bro, your client is scum; what did you expect?"

Everyone laughs, and Leah rests her head against Fatin's as she gasps for breath.

"And when Leah schooled him in the cross-examination," Rachel adds with a wide grin. _"Is that a question?"_

Leah releases a giggle with Rachel's impression of her, and Fatin chokes on her drink, coughing loudly in between laughs, and Leah is quick to pat her back.

"His whole defence was trash," Dot comments and they all nod in agreement.

"Here's to shit lawyers," Toni says, holding up her glass, and they cheer, clinking their drinks together.

Leah settles in her seat and watches all her friends continue their conversations, and a smile settles on her lips. This is all she has ever wanted—lots of friends, no stress, and good vibes.

"I'm so proud of you," Fatin murmurs in Leah's ear and Leah flushes, nuzzling her nose against her cheek.

"Thank you. I'm proud of me too," She whispers, and Fatin grins.

"As you should be."

"Can I just say," Renee interrupts, and Leah looks across the table at her expectantly, "You two are ridiculously cute, and I am insanely jealous? I need me a girl of my own."

Fatin immediately laughs, and Leah grins, shaking her head.

"Dottie's available," Fatin says smoothly, and Dot chokes on her drink where she sits three down from Renee's left.

"Dude, how many times do I have to tell you? I'm straight," Dot says after a few coughs and Fatin scoffs.

"I refuse to believe it. You're in denial."

"Whatever, dude. Sorry Renee, but you'll have to make a move on someone else," Dot says, and Renee smirks.

"That's alright; I enjoy a challenge. It wouldn't be the first time I've turned a straight girl gay."

A roar of laughter erupts from the group, and Dot's cheeks flush, but she laughs along, shaking her head.

"I'm sure that's true. But you will only end up disappointed if you try it on me."

"We'll see," Renee says with a wink and Leah snickers when Dot rolls her eyes.

"Whatever."

//

For the next month, Leah is walking on cloud nine. Everything has fallen into place perfectly, and even though she has that voice in the back of her head telling her it won't last, she forces herself to ignore it. She is going to be more positive now.

She decided she would sue Jeanette after all for leaking her information to the press. In the end, she won a decent-sized settlement leaving her with fifty-thousand dollars after paying off the court fees and her lawyer that Michelle recommended.

And with Jeff officially in prison, Jeanette having paid her debt to Leah, and Alex disappearing, Leah has taken a giant step forward.

She has officially signed up for online courses at Berkley University.

But the best part of the whole thing is the plan she and the girls came up with one night. Since all of them are planning to stick close to home for university, Fatin suggested they all get a house together.

With their combined income, they could easily afford to rent a giant house thanks to all their parents agreeing to chip in to cover any costs they couldn't. So after looking at close to fifty properties, they finally agreed on a mansion only a minute walk from the beach. It was perfect for them with ten rooms, a game room, eight bathrooms, a home theatre, gym, and a giant pool with an attached hot tub and a massive patio with a fire pit. The driveway is massive and easily holds all their vehicle, leaving space for probably seven more cars, and has a six-car garage off to the side. The elderly woman who was renting it out was quick to offer them the lease contract, and a week later, they moved in.

All of their parents helped with the move and continue to stop by with food and other essentials they think they need, and Leah finds it hilarious that they don't trust them to feed themselves. But she also thinks it's sweet. Their parents miss them even when practically every other day they are back home visiting.

The number of family barbeques they've had is insane; Dave, Tim, Rana, and Leah's father Kurt always offering to host. Rachel and Nora's parents have also finally managed to make one, and now Angela and James are around all the time, too, along with Martha's mother, Bernice.

Leah's life couldn't be better. Well, almost. If she and Fatin could just finally take the next step in their relationship without getting interrupted, then that would be great. She has never been wound so tight in her life, and she is getting to the point where she is ready to say fuck it and jump Fatin the next time she sees her, whether they have an audience or not. She wants to have sex with her girlfriend, dammit.

"Rilke," Rachel barks, and Leah jumps in her seat, choking on the grape she had just popped in her mouth. She coughs and looks towards the kitchen doorway, where Rachel is watching her with a smirk.

When she can breathe properly Leah clears her throat and spins on her stool, resting her back against the island counter. "What, Reid?"

"Come with me. I need your help with something," Rachel says, her smirking disappearing, and Leah frowns.

"With what?" She asks, and Rachel rolls her eyes.

"With _something_ ," Rachel stresses. "Stop asking questions."

Leah sighs and grabs a handful of grapes from the bowl before hopping off the stool and following Rachel to the front door. She slips her shoes on and soon enough, they are in Rachel's car, leaving the house and their friends behind.

"You're not going to murder me, are you?" Leah asks after five minutes of silence, and Rachel scoffs.

"Please, I wouldn't waste gas to do that. I'd just shove you down the stairs and make it look like an accident."

"Good to know you've plotted my demise," Leah mutters, and Rachel grins.

"As if you haven't thought of ways to get rid of me after I interrupted you and Fatin last week."

Leah chuckles and shrugs, staring out the windshield. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You threw a stiletto at me," Rachel says, and Leah bites back a smile.

"Not on purpose. It was just the closest thing in reach. Fatin leaves her shoes all over."

"Right," Rachel says with a snort, and Leah sends her a grin.

"So what's with the kidnapping? Did you destroy one of Nora's books again and need my help to buy a replacement?"

Rachel grumbles. "That was one time. And it was an accident."

"I'm sure it was," Leah says seriously, and Rachel sends her a glare.

"She left it in a stupid place!"

Leah laughs and nudges Rachel's arm. "I get it. Your coffee just happened to drown her favourite book where she left it on the table in the living room. Not at all a normal place to leave a novel."

Rachel sends her a glare before sighing and shaking her head. "Whatever, that's not the point of this. I did not ruin anything of Nora's. Thank god. But I need your help picking something out for someone."

Leah frowns and eyes Rachel curiously, wondering who she could be talking about until she sees the blush coating her cheeks and the way she avoids Leah's eyes on purpose.

Leah gasps and sits up straight. "Oh my god, you are getting something for Martha, aren't you? And you are asking me because I'm the only one to notice the way you look at her! Oh, this is amazing."

"Shut it, Rilke," Rachel hisses, but the fire in her tone isn't there, and her face flushes darker.

"Rachel, I know you hate talking about feelings, but before I help you with anything, I need to know if what you feel for Martha is real. She deserves something real," Leah says gently, and Rachel swallows, sparing a glance at Leah before focusing on the road again.

"Look, what I'm about to tell you never leaves this car, got it?" Rachel demands, and Leah nods immediately.

"Of course."

"You know I'm not much for relationships, and it was only until recently that I learned why. Nora helped me figure it out a few weeks ago, and it helped me understand what I was feeling towards Martha because I have never felt that way ever. And it's because I'm demisexual. I don't hold any romantic or sexual feelings for a person until there is a deep bond. And over time, Martha and I got close. I never really showed it or actively allowed myself to be close to her in public, but we text all the time and hang out separately from you guys, even before we moved in together. This has been slowly building for a long time, probably since I first met her in seventh grade. But only last year, when we had nearly all our classes together, did we really start a friendship. So yeah, what I feel for Martha is real. I don't want to hurt her Leah, that's the last thing I want. But I also don't want to see her with someone else, so I'm doing something about it. I'm going to ask her out tonight."

A smile slowly spreads across Leah's face, and she relaxes into her seat.

"Then let's do this, Reid. By the time I'm done with you, you will know exactly how to sweep Martha off her feet."

//

Leah checks her phone while Fatin is distracted by kissing her neck, but she sighs and places it back on the nightstand when there is still no text from Rachel.

"I feel like I should be offended," Fatin says, and Leah blinks, looking down at her. She didn't even notice Fatin had stopped.

"Shit, I'm sorry, babe," Leah sighs, and Fatin frowns. Leah sits up, and Fatin moves to sit next to her, resting against the headboard. "I helped Rachel with something earlier and am waiting for a text from her letting me know if it went okay."

"Oh," Fatin says, surprised before she is frowning again. "Wait, you kept a secret from me; we don't do that."

Leah laughs when Fatin pouts dramatically before she reaches up to boop Fatin's nose with her finger. "It's not my secret to tell. If it goes well, you will know tonight."

Fatin holds her pout for a few more seconds before she grins and nods. "Okay. But you do know watching the phone won't make it ring. So maybe I can distract you for the time being."

Leah bites her lip as Fatin trails her finger down her stomach, stopping at Leah's sweatpants, and when their gazes meet, she leans over and captures Fatin's lips in a desperate kiss. Fatin grins into her mouth, and soon Leah is on her back with Fatin straddling her once again, this time focused on the feeling of Fatin's lips trailing down her neck.

All thoughts of Rachel and Martha escape her when Fatin slips a hand under her shirt and squeezes her breast at the same time she slips her tongue into her mouth.

Leah moans, buries one hand in Fatin's hair, while the other grips the front of her jeans' waistband and tugs Fatin's hips forward. Fatin gasps and rolls her hips into Leah's as their kisses become sloppy and breaths ragged.

Leah sits up abruptly and wraps her arms around Fatin's back, only for a moment before she is tugging Fatin's shirt up. They pull back to catch their breath and allow the shirt to be lifted over Fatin's head before Leah connects their lips in an eager kiss once more.

Before Leah knows it, her shirt is gone too, and she is now the one hovering over Fatin as she lays on her back, digging her fingernails into Leah's lower back. Leah trails her lips down Fatin's neck, nipping and sucking at the sensitive skin for a few moments before continuing to her heaving chest.

"Fuck Lee," Fatin gasps when Leah slips one hand behind Fatin's back and unhooks her bra on the first try. Leah glances up and winks as she slowly pulls the material down Fatin's arms and flinging it across the room. She goes back to kissing Fatin's warm and slightly sweaty skin, starting at her protruding collar bones that she loves so much and continuing lower. Fatin hisses as soon as Leah's mouth captures her left nipple and immediately arches into Leah's body, desperate for more contact. With her mouth mapping out Fatin's chest, Leah lets her fingers slide down her toned stomach to the button of her jeans. She releases the clasp and pulls the zipper down without looking before pulling back to look up at Fatin.

"I swear to fuck Leah Rilke if you don't fuck me right now," Fatin whines, and Leah laughs, leaning down to press a hard kiss to her lips.

"Relax, babe. I got you."

Fatin's eyes flutter open when Leah pulls back, and she watches with hooded eyes as Leah works the jeans over her hips and down her thighs before pulling them completely off and tossing them to the floor. They stare at each other for a long moment, the tension building as they both conclude that they have never gone this far before. Swallowing her nerves, Leah crawls back on top of Fatin and lowers her head, capturing Fatin's lips in a slow kiss.

"You okay with this?" Fatin murmurs when Leah pulls back, and Leah smiles softly.

"More than okay. I want you, Fatin Jadmani. More than you know."

Fatin swallows in anticipation and nods. "Me too."

Leah takes that as her cue and attaches her lips to Fatin's chest once again, this time sliding down further, leaving a trail of kisses down her stomach. When she reaches the band of Fatin's underwear, she looks up for confirmation, and Fatin nods rapidly, already lifting her hips.

"Please."

Leah tugs the underwear off and tosses them over the side of the bed before returning her focus to Fatin's body. She inhales sharply when she sees the arousal already coating Fatin's core and deliberately leans forward to press a kiss high up on the inside of Fatin's thigh and then the other one, smirking to herself when Fatin whines again and reaches down to fist Leah's hair.

"Are you really going to tease me right now?" Fatin rasps, and Leah hums, allowing her lips to brush over Fatin's trimmed center briefly.

"I thought that was obvious," Leah says with a grin when she looks up and Fatin groans, letting her head fall back into the pillows.

"Fucking blue eyes," She mumbles to herself, but Leah catches it and laughs brightly. When Fatin moves to lift her head to berate Leah for not touching her, Leah makes her move.

Fatin's mouth falls open, and her hips jerk in surprise as Leah's mouth finds her center.

"Oh. My. Fucking. God," Fatin moans loudly, her fingers tightening in Leah's hair and bedsheet as Leah uses her tongue and fingers to bring her to climax. Leah is relentless as she works on Fatin, and after a few minutes of groaning and writhing from Fatin, her cries increasingly getting louder, she decides to stop playing with her and allow her to fall over the edge.

Just as she is about to curl her fingers to hit Fatin's g-spot deliberately, she hears her phone ping. Leah stops abruptly and lifts her head, her fingers halting their movement.

"What? No- Lee don't-" Fatin croaks, looking from Leah to the phone on the nightstand, her face scrunched up in discomfort. "Don't you fucking dare Rilke."

Leah grimaces and sends Fatin an apologetic smile before she pulls out of Fatin and scrambles up the bed to reach her phone.

When she sees the text, Leah grins widely and pumps her fist in the air. "Fuck yes. I am a genius."

 **_Rachel:_ ** _She loved the flowers and necklace, but especially the poem. We have a date scheduled for tomorrow night. Thanks, Rilke._

"Leah fucking Rilke, if you don't get me off in the next three seconds, I am going to kill you."

Leah winces and quickly sets her phone down before twisting to face a desperate and glaring Fatin.

"Sorry," She says with an awkward chuckle before slipping down the bed, and Fatin rolls her eyes, but a tiny smile escapes her only to be replaced with a look of pleasure as Leah picks up where she left off.

//

"You're fucking lucky you are so good with your mouth," Fatin says later when they are both sated and curled up together naked, as the sweat dries on their skin and Leah snickers.

"I said I was sorry."

"You abandoned me in the middle of the best oral sex I've ever had to read a text message, Rilke. I don't think sorry really covers it," Fatin says with a laugh and Leah grins, peering up at Fatin.

"Best you've ever had, huh?"

"Don't get cocky; I'm still mad," Fatin says, but the twitch of her lips gives her away, and Leah hums, pressing a kiss to Fatin's bare shoulder.

"What if I made it up to you? Repeatedly?" She murmurs, trailing kisses up Fatin's neck and across her jaw before stopping a breath away from her lips to meet her dark gaze.

"I'm listening," Fatin says with a brow cocked, and Leah grins before descending Fatin's body for the third time that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> writing smut is haaard. But hey they finally did the deed, so yay!
> 
> And that Galanis bitch is GUILTY, GUILTY, GUILLLTY! Isn't that the best?


	20. month ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leah is a good friend to Toni.

Toni grunts when Leah's fist hits her padded face and twists out of the way of her kick, only narrowly escaping a foot to the stomach. Leah grins when Toni backs away, cracking her neck, a scowl on her face.

"That all you got Shalifoe?" She teases, and Toni's scowl only deepens.

"Fuck no," Toni growls, and Leah quickly ducks her head when Toni sends a wild swing at her head, allowing her to jab Toni in the ribs before slipping out of her space.

Toni whirls around and lashes out with a high kick, and Leah barely gets her gloves up to block it. She frowns when Toni's temper seems to spike, and real anger crosses her features, and she grunts when Toni manages to slip a punch through her defences and catch her in the chest.

She ducks and twists the best she can to avoid the kicks and punches Toni sends in rapid session, each one angrier and harder, and it's only when she catches a foot to the ribs that she knows they need to stop. That was much harder than they usually allow themselves to hit.

"Toni," Leah says sharply, but Toni doesn't hear her as she swings her left fist at Leah's head, only to meet air as Leah yanks her face back. "Toni, stop."

Toni meets her gaze with angry eyes, and Leah slowly begins to move her gloves, so she understands that she is not fighting anymore. Toni blinks and watches the gloves hit the floor before she glances back up at Leah, who is pulling off the padded helmet.

"What's going on?" Leah asks quietly, and Toni swallows, looking away with a shrug.

"Nothing."

"Toni," Leah sighs and Toni's jaw ticks as she faces Leah.

"I said nothing, Rilke. Fucking drop it."

Leah quirks a brow in surprise and crosses her arms, narrowing her eyes as she stares Toni down. She's not letting her get away without explaining why she is so pissed and took it out on her.

"I'll sit on you, Shalifoe. Don't think I won't. I've got nowhere to be today," Leah threatens, and Toni's lips purse in annoyance.

"Fine, whatever," Toni grumbles as she yanks her gloves off angrily, followed by the helmet, tossing it across the room before stalking towards the bench lining the far wall in their gym. She grabs her bottle of water and takes a few gulps before slamming it back down.

Leah follows silently, waiting for Toni to speak, and when she does, she keeps her back to Leah.

"My mom is back," She whispers, and Leah blinks in surprise. "She's out of rehab again for like the hundredth time and wants to see me. I told her to fuck off, but she showed up at Bernice's demanding to know where I was. Bernice didn't tell her anything, but it's only a matter of time before she figures it out. She always finds me."

Leah grimaces and reaches out to place a gentle hand on Toni's back, and that has her spinning around. "Have you discussed this with Shelby?" Leah asks, and Toni shakes her head.

"No. I don't like telling her about that. She gets so worried, and she has enough to deal with without my baggage."

"Toni," Leah whispers, sending her a sad smile. "Shelby is always going to worry about, no matter how good life is. Just like you do about her. It comes with the territory of loving someone. But she's not fragile. She's Texan, for crying out loud; she can handle hearing about your mom."

Toni swallows roughly and shrugs. "I'm embarrassed. My mom is a fucking drug addict Leah. She left me at a random house when I was two to get high and didn't come back until three months later. They put me into foster care because of her. And every time she comes back and says she sorry and that she is clean and she will be better, but it never fucking sticks. She always promises shit and never follows through, and I am fucking sick of being jerked around. I don't want her in my life."

Leah chews on the inside of her cheek for a moment before reaching out to pull Toni into a tight hug. Toni sinks into her and buries her face into Leah's neck, and clings to the back of her shirt as she takes deep breaths to calm her anger.

"I don't personally understand the pain she has caused you, Toni, but I do know that you need to put yourself first. She has been selfish your entire life, and knowing you, I am sure you tried to take care of her instead of the other way around. But you can't do that anymore. She needs to take responsibility for her actions, and by you allowing her back in, she will think you forgive her and that the next time she relapses, she can run to you for help and validation. It would be best if you broke the cycle, T," Leah murmurs as she holds Toni, who nods, but Leah can feel tears hit her neck, and she hugs Toni tighter. "You can do this, Toni. We are all here for you, and we love you to death. And we both know that Shelby with never think less of you because of your mom. Nothing is embarrassing about your past, I promise."

Toni sniffles and lifts her head to peer up at Leah, a small smile gracing her face as she wipes her tears. "Thanks, Rilke. And um, I'm sorry I took my anger out on you. Are you hurt at all?" She asks, and Leah quickly shakes her head.

"No, I'm good."

"Okay," Toni murmurs and steps back. "I think I'm going to find Shelby. She's noticed I've been on edge for the past few days, and I've been brushing her off."

Leah nods and sends her supportive smile. "Good. Let me know how it goes and if you need help with dealing with your mom."

Toni nods.

"I will. Thank you."

//

Ever since their first night together a month ago, Fatin can't keep her hands off Leah. Leah finds it hilarious while their friends think it's gross and yell at them to leave the room anytime they get too carried away.

Dot even threw a glass of water on them when Fatin practically shoved her hand down Leah's pants during a movie night. They abandoned the movie soon after that and headed up to their room to continue.

And now, with Fatin on her back writhing and begging Leah for more, she can't help but grin. "I told you you were the bottom," She whispers in Fatin's ear right before she enters Fatin with two fingers, getting a strangled curse in response.

"Fuuuck," Fatin moans, too lost in her pleasure to really argue, but Leah knows she will as soon as she is coherent.

And she is proved right when Fatin flips them and for nearly an hour teases Leah trying to get her to beg, but Leah grits her teeth and forces her body not to betray her.

"Take it back, Leah, and I'll give you what you want," Fatin taunts, dragging her fingers through Leah's folds, brushing her clit as she goes, and Leah inhales sharply.

"No," She grounds out, and Fatin chuckles.

"Fine, I can do this all night."

Leah squeezes her eyes shut and takes deep even breaths as Fatin works her up until she reaches the peak of climax before easing back, leaving Leah without release.

"You do know I can get myself off, right?" Leah says, her voice hoarse when Fatin once again leaves her on edge, and when she opens her eyes, Fatin is frowning.

"You won't."

Leah quirks a brow and slowly slides her hand down her stomach as Fatin follows the movement with hungry eyes. "Watch me," She whispers when her fingers nearly reach their destination, but Fatin is quick to snatch her hand away and narrow her gaze, meeting Leah's eyes.

Without warning, she sticks three fingers inside Leah, and Leah gasps, arching off the bed as Fatin thrusts her fingers in and out at a rapid pace and in the next minute, Leah is crying out and twitching as white-hot pleasure rolls through her. When she sinks into the mattress, she laughs breathlessly and opens her eyes to find Fatin watching her in annoyance.

"You played me," She grumbles, and Leah grins, reaching out to tug Fatin down, their lips meeting in a messy kiss.

"I wouldn't go that far," Leah replies, and Fatin scoffs.

"You know I hate not being the one to give you an orgasm."

Leah smirks. "Maybe."

"Fuck you," Fatin grumbles, and Leah laughs.

"I think you just did, babe. And you did a wonderful job."

Fatin's pout disappears and is replaced by a cocky grin. "Damn right, I did. Guess that means I get the title of Mistress."

Leah scoffs and rolls them swiftly. "I didn't beg Jadmani. If anything, I outsmarted you and lasted nearly an hour of teasing, while you lost it within the first ten minutes. So I think it's clear I am the true Mistress," She whispers, leaning down to brush their noses together, and Fatin glares up at her.

"I want a rematch."

Leah laughs loudly and captures Fatin's lips in a rough kiss.

"You're on."

A loud rapping on their door has the pair jumping, and Leah lifts herself off Fatin quickly. "Leah! I know you and Fatin are fucking and all, but I think you seriously need to see this," Dot calls, and Leah is quick to yank on a pair of sweatpants and a baggy shirt before running to the door.

When she yanks it open, Dot shoves her phone into her hands and Leah's breath hitches. "Dot is this..." She trails off, and Dot nods sympathetically.

"Hey, what's going on?" Fatin asks when she steps up behind Leah, and Dot points to her phone.

"Galanis was killed in prison."

Leah hears Fatin choke behind her, but all she can do is stare down at the news article's headline has open.

_Jeff Galanis, Thirty-Four-Year-Old Sex Offender Beat to Death By Inmates._

"Lee, you okay?" Fatin asks, placing a hand on her back and Leah nods slowly.

"Yeah. Um, I should check on the other girls," She murmurs, handing Dot her phone back before slipping past Fatin to grab her own from the nightstand.

She finds Alanna was the first to see the news, followed by Renee and Olivia. Daisy and Quinn were informed through the group chat.

Leah swallows roughly as she types out a message.

**_Leah_ ** _: Dot just showed me. Are you girls okay?_

**_Alanna:_ ** _I don't know about all of you, but I feel like he deserved it. So I'm fine with this._

**_Daisy_ ** _: Agreed 10000%_

**_Quinn:_ ** _It's weird, but I think I'm okay with it too. He can't hurt anyone else._

**_Olivia_ ** _: ^^ What Quinn said_

**_Renee:_ ** _I'm pissed. I wanted him to fucking rot. But I guess him being dead is alright too._

Leah chews on her lip for a moment,t thinking it over. She is angry too. To her, his death is unfair; he deserved to suffer for what he did to them. This seems like he escaped his sentence, and she hates it.

**_Leah_ ** _: I'm pissed too. He deserved to suffer, and now he is gone and doesn't have to deal with the consequences. That's fucking bullshit._

She tosses her phone on the bed and runs her hands over her face tiredly before looking up at Dot and Fatin who are still standing in the doorway watching her.

"Guess it's really over, huh?" Leah asks with a bitter smile, and Fatin shares a glance with Dot before she crosses the room and kneels before Leah.

"Yeah. But that's a good thing, right?" Fatin asks carefully, and Leah nods.

"Sure. He can't get out or hurt anyone now, but I'm still upset. He didn't have to rot in prison, and I hate that. He should have been fucking miserable for the rest of his shit life, and now he basically got a scapegoat. It's stupid."

"I know," Fatin whispers, taking Leah's hands in her own. "But hey, on the other hand, scary-ass criminals had your back and took him out because of what he did. They don't stand for that pedo shit which I guess is kind of cool."

Leah's lips twitch and she nods, squeezing Fatin's hands. "Yeah, I guess that's true. I hate it but at the same time appreciate the whole thing."

Fatin smiles and lifts Leah's hands so she can kiss her fingers. "Exactly. I'm sure they put him through a fuck ton of pain before his heart gave out."

Leah nods and leans forward to rest her forehead against Fatin's. "Thank you," She whispers, and Fatin nods.

"Anytime, Lee."

"So, you're good then?" Dot asks awkwardly, and Leah chuckles as she pulls back from Fatin and meets Dot's gaze.

"Yeah, Dot. I'm good. Though maybe you should check on Renee, I'm sure she wouldn't mind some comfort."

Dot flushes immediately, and Fatin laughs loudly, holding her hand up for Leah to high-five. "You two fucking suck," Dot grumbles as she escapes the room and Leah giggles.

"She totally has a crush on Ren," Leah says, and Fatin nods.

"Oh definitely."

//

"I'll be right here," Leah tells Toni as she parks the car, and Toni nods.

"Thanks, Rilke. It shouldn't take too long," She says, and Leah sends her a smile.

"You got this."

Toni returns her smile before shoving her door open and stepping out. Leah watches as she shoves her hands in her jeans' front pockets and heads for the park bench where an older woman sits, dressed in a pair of jean shorts and a white tank top. Her hair is braided back, looking like a mirror image of Toni. From where Leah sits, she can see how she smiles at Toni and stands, eagerly moving to embrace her daughter, only for Toni to take a step back. The way her smile drops leaves even Leah's stomach twisting in guilt. Fuck, no wonder Toni always ends up helping her.

She watches as Toni speaks and the way her mother's eyes water as she pleads for Toni to no doubt give her another chance. Toni shakes her head quickly and steps back further, and Leah grimaces when Toni's mother begins to cry in earnest, reaching for Toni, but she is turning away from her and nearly running back to Leah's car.

When the passenger door opens, Leah can hear her calling after Toni.

"Toni! Toni! Baby, please!" She cries, taking a few steps in the direction of the car but stops when Toni slams the door shut.

"Drive. Please," Toni whispers hoarsely and Leah nods, quickly putting the car into reverse, leaving Toni's mother alone in the park.

Leah doesn't speak until they stop at a red light, and she glances over at Toni, who is continuously wiping at her cheeks and sucking in shuddering breaths.

"You can cry, T. Don't try and hold it in on my account," She says gently and Toni releases a watery laugh.

"I hate crying."

"I don't think anyone likes crying," Leah replies with a smile, and Toni nods just as a sob erupts from her chest. Leah's eyes water, and she immediately reaches out to grip Toni's hand before returning her eyes to the road. The light turns green, and she eases into the intersection. Toni grips her hand tight, and Leah squeezes back, glancing her way.

Toni looks over and sends her a smile before her eyes widen. "Leah!"

Leah whips her head to the left to see what has Toni screaming, and she inhales sharply just before a truck plows into her door.

Leah hears Toni scream as the car flips multiple times, throwing them around violently before it comes to an abrupt halt.

There is a ringing in Leah's ears when she manages to peel her eyes open, and she finds they are upside down. Groaning, Leah looks to Toni, who is hanging there unconscious, and she reaches for her.

"Toni," She croaks, prodding her shoulder the best she can, as the shock begins to wear off and is replaced by the fire blazing through her body. "Toni."

After a few more pokes, Toni groans and moves her head, looking around in confusion before her eyes meet Leah. "Lee? Fuck, are you okay?" She asks, hissing in a breath when she tries to move her arm to reach for Leah.

"I think so," Leah murmurs, trying not to focus on the excruciating pain radiating from the entire left side of her body and head.

"We are upside down," Toni slurs and Leah grunts, trying to find the clip so she can release her seat belt.

"Fuck," Leah hisses when she finally finds the release, and her body drops, her right arm barely fast enough to slow her fall. She hits the roof on her back with a thud, and the breath escapes her for a few seconds before she looks over at Toni.

"Toni, brace your hand on the roof," She rasps, and Toni hums, her head lolling.

"What?"

"Put a hand on the roof and brace for a fall. I'm going to release your seatbelt," Leah repeats, and Toni nods.

"Okay."

Leah waits until Toni's right hand is pressed firmly against the roof before she scoots closer and reaches up to click the button. Toni curses as she slips from her seat, but she lands on her back, similar to Leah and manages to keep her head up enough, so it doesn't smack against the ground.

"Do you smell that?" Toni murmurs, and Leah blinks, looking around as she sniffs. Smoke with a mix of gasoline.

Oh, fuck no.

"Get out," Leah barks. "Get out right now."

Toni looks at her in alarm but listens as she moves to shove the crumpled door open. She grunts with the effort but manages to get it free, and army crawls out onto the street.

Leah moves to follow her out that side, but suddenly her door is ripped open, and she looks over her shoulder in surprise.

Standing there looking absolutely calm is Alex. Leah's stomach drops, and she immediately begins to crawl for Toni's side, desperate to get away from him, but his hand clamps down on her right ankle, and he hauls her back, and she screams, twisting and kicking at him, but his grip never loosens.

"He's dead," Alex hisses when he has her half out of the car and immediately straddles her. Leah's eyes widen, and she freezes when he reaches around his back and pulls out a gun from his waistband. He presses it to her forehead with a menacing look, and his other hand wraps around her neck to force her head against the roof of the car.

"He's dead because of you."

Leah's heart pounds so hard in her chest, and she lays frozen beneath him. What can she even do? The barrel is right against her head, any movement and she will be dead in the next second.

"Hey!" A man shouts from somewhere in the street, and Alex looks over his shoulder, giving Leah the window she needs.

She grabs the barrel of the gun with both hands and twists it to the left as hard as she can and hears the snap of Alex's finger where it had been resting on the trigger.

He screams and yanks his hand back before lunging for her right hand that holds the gun. Leah cries out when he digs his hand into her left side, where a few of her ribs are broken, and with all her strength swings the gun at Alex's face.

The butt of it cracks across his left cheek, and he grunts before she slams her knee between his legs.

"Fuck!" He shouts, immediately moving to cup his groin, and Leah scrambles back towards Toni's door. This time she is fast enough and manages to crawl out of the car, finding Toni is a few feet away, struggling to stay awake as a woman holds her in an upright position.

"Get her out of here," Leah gasps, and the woman looks surprised but doesn't question her. A man comes running from the sidewalk to help her lift Toni just as Alex stumbles around the car towards Leah.

"Don't!" Leah shouts, twisting, so she is on her back with the gun aimed at his chest.

Alex sneers but doesn't stop his pursuit. "You won't pull the trigger," He scoffs and Leah grits her teeth. He's right.

The distant sound of sirens reaches Leah's ears, and she rolls to her feet the best she can, stumbling away from Alex as he limps towards her.

Leah can see the crowd of people on the sidewalks and people jumping out of their stopped vehicles as if they will intervene only just to watch.

She only has to hold him off until the police arrive. Leah takes shallow breathes, wrapping her left arm around her middle, trying to keep herself steady as her vision wavers and she sees two of Alex.

He inches closer, and Leah tries to tighten her grip on the gun, but her hand does the exact opposite. She hears the gun clatter to the pavement and sees Alex lunge for it as she stumbles back, tripping over her feet. She barely feels the impact as she hits the ground, her head cracking on the road, causing her teeth to sink into her tongue.

She is exhausted and just wants to sleep.

She can hear the muffled sound of running feet and shouts from people, but she can't move her head. All she can do is stare up at Alex as he looms over her, the gun aimed at her chest.

"This is for my uncle," He says, his words reaching her ears a second too late.

He squeezes the trigger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie... even I wasn't expecting this turn of events hahaha. Yikes.
> 
> I really love leaving you guys on a cliffhanger huh?
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this and thank you all for the lovely comments and kudos!


	21. month eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The angst train has arrived. All aboard!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo this one is a tad shorter because I felt bad about that cliffhanger and didn't want you to wait too long for the next one so I rushed through this one tonight. Yay double update!
> 
> Anyways enjoy!

Fatin hates hospitals. They smell like gross antiseptic and old people. But for the past two weeks, she has spent nearly every hour in one, not leaving Leah's side other to go to the bathroom and grab a coffee.

Hearing shuffling behind her, Fatin looks over her shoulder and sends Toni a tired smile. Like Leah, Toni has a broken arm and a few broken ribs, along with a concussion and severe whiplash.

She was released three days after being admitted but had been visiting Leah every day since, always bringing Fatin food and a coffee.

"No news?" Toni asks quietly, handing Fatin the take-out bag before carefully sitting in the seat next to her. She has a pair of dark sunglasses on, and if it weren't for a serious reason, Fatin would tease her about looking like a secret agent. But she knows Toni can't stand too much brightness with her concussion.

"No," Fatin murmurs as she takes a sip of the coffee, setting the bag on the floor next to her. "Doctor said her brain activity is normal, but the bleeding in her brain caused some swelling, so she hasn't woken up as early as they expected."

Toni grimaces and glances towards Leah, who lays unconscious in the bed with her head bandaged in white wrapping. Her face is bruised and covered in cuts, some of them stitched closed, the most prominent one starting at the beginning of her left brow and crossing her forehead at a diagonal, fading into her hairline, ending only a fingertip's width from her temple. A part of her hair is also shaved at the back where she cracked her skull on the pavement, and Fatin is positive that Leah will be annoyed by that.

"But she will wake up, right?" Toni asks, looking towards Fatin, her brows pinched, and Fatin nods.

"She will. She's just taking her sweet ass time," Fatin sighs and Toni's lips twitch.

"Considering how often she has had to wait for you, I think you can give her a pass this one time."

Fatin chuckles and takes another sip from her coffee. "Yeah, I guess so."

They fall silent for a few moments until Toni shifts in her seat and inhales deeply. "Fatin, I'm sorry. If I hadn't asked her-"

"Toni," Fatin says sharply, cutting her off, and Toni's jaw ticks as she looks away from Fatin. "This is not your fault, okay? It was all Alex. And he's dead, so there is no reason to dwell on it. Leah will be okay, and you are okay, so stop with the guilt, will you? You're going to get wrinkles from frowning all the damn time."

Toni nods slightly and releases a long sigh. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. But I can't get that image of him standing over her out of my mind Fatin. It was the last thing I saw before I blacked out, and I couldn't do a fucking thing. If Leah hadn't been the fucking genius she is and removed the clip from the gun, she would be dead. He pulled the trigger."

Fatin swallows roughly and reaches out to take Toni's hand in hers, the two of them holding tight. "I know. I saw the video T. I see it every time I close my eyes. But she is alive, and so are you. And that's what we need to focus on. Not the what-ifs."

"I know. It's just hard," Toni murmurs and Fatin sends her a soft smile.

"I get it. I think we can all take a page from Leah's handbook and get our asses into therapy because we are definitely fucked up after this."

"No kidding," Toni says with a short chuckle.

"How is she?" Shelby asks as she walks into the room, startling the pair, and Fatin sends her a smile in greeting, watching as she presses a kiss to Toni's head before moving to sit in the seat on the other side of Leah.

"Still dead to the world," Fatin quips and Shelby quirks a brow in response as Toni sighs.

"Not funny," Toni grumbles, and Fatin grins a little, nudging Toni's arm with her elbow.

"Come on, Shalifoe, lighten up. Lee is going to be just fine. Probably hella fucking grumpy and a pain in my ass for the next few weeks, getting me to do her bidding but fine nonetheless."

"Like you won't enjoy being a whipped bitch," Toni snarks back, and Fatin laughs.

"As if you aren't the same when it comes to Goodkind over there."

Shelby rolls her eyes at them and reaches out to take Leah's hand in her own, running her thumb over her knuckles.

"She's warmer today," Shelby comments, and Fatin hums, leaning down to grab the muffin out of the bag Toni brought her.

"Yeah, the Doc thinks she should wake in the next couple of days."

"Good," Shelby murmurs and settles into her seat as the three of them fall silent, ready to wait another day.

//

When Leah wakes up, Fatin is in the bathroom.

So when she walks into Leah's room to find the doctor and nurse huddled around Leah with Rachel of all people sitting next to Leah, she can't help her outburst.

"Seriously, Rilke? You wait until I'm fucking in the bathroom to open your eyes?" She says, stalking towards the bed, and Rachel smothers her laugh with a cough as Leah looks up at her with wide eyes.

"What?"

"I've been glued to that chair for nearly three weeks waiting for you to wake up from your beauty sleep, and the one time I leave to relieve myself, you pull this shit," Fatin says, a scowl on her face but her heart is pounding erratically in her chest, and her eyes fill with tears as she meets Leah's blue eyes. She didn't show it around the others, but she was petrified Leah would never wake up, and now that she has, she thinks she could break into a million pieces; she is so relieved.

"Sorry," Leah croaks, and Fatin releases a hiccup of a sob and reaches out to cup Leah's face with both hands.

"You're an asshole," She rasps before connecting their lips in a desperate kiss. Leah has her eyes closed when they part, and her fist is curled in Fatin's shirt, keeping her close.

"Apologies," Doctor West says, stepping forward on the other side of the bed and placing a hand on Leah's shoulder. "But I still need to examine Miss Rilke further."

Fatin clears her throat and nods quickly, wiping her cheeks. "Right, sorry."

Dr. West sends her an understanding smile before focusing on Leah, who drops Fatin's shirt only to cling to her hand, answering all the questions she is asked.

After a few minutes, the nurse and doctor leave, and Leah returns her focus to Fatin. Fatin grins down at her before ducking her head and latching onto Leah's lips again. This time it is Rachel who interrupts them.

"Alright, I'm going to let the others know that you two are back to being disgusting. Fair warning your parents have been notified and are rushing here from the cafeteria. You probably have two minutes tops," she says, and Fatin waves her off, without pulling away from Leah, and when the door shuts, they are finally alone.

Fatin pulls back after a few seconds, and Leah looks up to meet her gaze.

"Fuck, it's good to have you awake," She rasps, and Leah sends her a soft smile, reaching up to cup her cheek.

"It's good to be awake. And to see your face."

"I thought I lost you," Fatin says, her breath hitching, and Leah swallows roughly.

"I'm sorry," She whispers, and Fatin is quick to shake her head.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Lee. Hell, you did everything right. You got Toni out of the car and pulled a fucking Uno Reverse on Alex with that sleight of hand trick."

Leah grimaces and shakes her head. "I got lucky."

"Luck or not, you fooled the prick and saved your life," Fatin murmurs and Leah chews on her bottom lip for a moment before speaking.

"What happened to him?" She whispers, and Fatin sighs, moving to sit on the edge of the bed, taking Leah's hand in hers.

"After he pulled the trigger and realized there was no ammo, he panicked and then got angry. It looks like he was on a suicidal mission because when the police surrounded him a minute later, he aimed at one of them and got shot four times. They didn't know there was no ammo. He died quickly."

Leah swallows roughly and nods, fiddling with Fatin's shirt's collar, as she absorbs the information. "I'm guessing there was some video footage then?" She asks, and Fatin nods.

"Yes."

"You saw it, didn't you?" Leah asks, and again Fatin nods.

"I did. It's been removed from social media now, but a lot of people saw it. You're kind of famous now."

"Oh god," Leah mutters, and Fatin chuckles, reaching out to brush her thumb across Leah's cheek gently.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you from the big bad press," She says, and Leah's lips quirk up.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Fatin whispers and leans down to kiss Leah sweetly.

//

The wave of depression that hits Leah two weeks after waking from her coma knocks her off her feet. She has never had it this bad before, and if she had the energy, she would cry. She tries to be at her best for Fatin and her friends, knowing they don't need the extra stress, but it is so hard to get out of bed, let alone shower or brush her teeth, that she now doesn't even try anymore. She physically can't, and she knows she is scaring the shit out of Fatin, which makes her feel even worse about herself.

Fatin has been nothing short of amazing with helping her heal and making sure she eats and drinks enough water. Leah forces herself to go through the mechanics of eating even when she has no appetite because that is what Fatin needs from her. She refuses to worry Fatin even more.

But it turns out she is a terrible actress, and at the beginning of the third week, Rana is at the house to pick Leah and Fatin up at Fatin's request. Leah doesn't fight it; she just packs a few bags and follows Fatin outside silently.

They drive to the Jadmani residence, and once again, Leah is occupying the spare room. She catches the concerned looks Fatin and Rana send her way at the dinner table when she struggles to eat, let alone join the conversation. Still, she makes an effort for the boys because they are so excited to see her again, having missed all the excitement while they were off at camp and visiting their father.

Arry quickly attaches himself to her, seeming to sense she needs the comfort and the first night, he crawled into her lap while she sat alone and wide awake in the living room in the middle of the night, she finally cried.

She held him tight and cried, and he let her, hugging her neck and placing his stuffed sloth in her arms. The morning after Fatin finds them asleep on the couch, Arry curled into Leah's side, her arms wrapped tight around his small frame with the sloth pressed between them.

It was the first night she slept more than two hours.

Their friends drop by daily to see her, and it's Rachel and Martha who get the first genuine smile out of her as they walk hand and hand into the house. They are adorable together, and she couldn't be happier for them.

But as weeks pass and she is cleared of the concussion, she finds that she still struggles with remembering things, no matter how recent the event. The day prior, she forgot she put a pizza in the oven until the fire alarm went off. Then today, she forgot the way to the grocery store. She had to use her phone to direct her for the five-minute drive there and back. And then she forgot to bring the food inside until Fatin asked about the groceries. Leah can't help be feel like she is slowly losing her mind. Her memory is the worst it has ever been, and no matter how often her doctor tells her it is normal and that it will take time for her memory to come back, she doesn't believe it. The headaches are an issue too. They come sporadically, but they leave her curled up in bed, under her covers in complete darkness every time. The medication she was prescribed works, but she doesn't want to rely on them. They can be addicting, and she doesn't need to end up hooked on drugs on top of everything else.

Then there is her eyesight. She finds she is struggling to read like she used to. The words continue to blur on the page, and she struggles to refocus her eyes when it happens. It's definitely one of her triggers and never fails to send her into a fit of anger.

Which is what leads to her current outburst.

After the page blurs for the third time in one sitting, she loses it. She is alone in her room as Fatin showers, and before she realizes it, the book is flying across the room, followed by the lamp on the nightstand and the picture frame housing the photo of her and Fatin on the beach; Fatin on Leah's back as both of them grinning widely wearing their matching Santa Cruz hats. She is about to throw her laptop when Fatin appears and grabs her wrists, pulling the computer out of her hand before wrapping her arms around Leah from behind.

"Hey, breathe," Fatin murmurs in her ear, and Leah struggles in her hold. She doesn't want to breathe. She wants to be able to read a fucking book as she used to. She wants to be happy again.

"No!" Leah shouts, shoving Fatin's arms off her and stumbling a few steps away, her chest heaving. "I am fucking sick of this! I am sick of not being able to remember shit and the constant invisible weight on my chest, making it hard to breathe all the time. I am losing my goddamn mind, and the migraines don't help. I am so fucking exhausted, and I hate myself every fucking day because I can't just get out of bed like a fucking normal person. I can barely brush my teeth, for crying out loud! And that is not what you need. You deserve someone who doesn't suck the fucking life out of you, Fatin. You deserve someone better and who isn't fucked in the head. I thought I was messed up before, but shit, that accident left some serious brain damage because I can't stop feeling like this isn't real. Like I am still laying on the pavement bleeding and in so much pain, waiting for that bullet to pierce my chest. At that moment, I wasn't even positive if I had removed the clip Fatin! I couldn't feel it in my hand, let alone defend myself after I hit the ground. And you know what? I'm struggling to see what is so fucking great about being here. All I do is drag everyone down, and I hate myself for it. I hate myself so fucking much."

A sob escapes Leah when she finishes, and her knees give out, forcing Fatin to lunge forward and catch her under the arms, her own tears falling.

"Baby," Fatin rasps, her breath hitching as she hugs Leah close and slides onto the floor, her back resting against the bed with Leah curled up in her lap. "There is no one better for me than you. And there is certainly nothing wrong with you. You've experienced so much trauma in a short period of time; of course, you are not going to be okay right after. What you are feeling is normal."

Leah shakes her head and hiccups with a sob, her finger stabbing into her right temple repeatedly. "No, there is something wrong in here. I'm not like before. I can't feel things the way I used to. I can't even fucking read right. I am angry and nothing I do, no matter how hard I try, has me feeling happy. It's like all the joy has been sapped out of me, and I am just treading water, trying not to drown in my darkest thoughts. I just want to go back to how I was. I don't want to be broken."

Fatin's arms tighten around Leah immediately, and she buries her face in her neck, tears spilling down her cheeks. "You are not broken, Leah Rilke. You are the strongest fucking person I know, and no matter what happens, I will be right next to you, doing everything I can to help you stay afloat. Because you're mine, and no one, not even you, gets to speak badly of the girl I love. She is the sweetest, smartest, kindest person there is and so brave I am in awe. I am so in love with her."

Leah shudders with a sob, and she clings to Fatin's shirt as she cries. She cries so hard her stomach hurts, and her throat is raw. Fatin rocks her side to side, letting her release every last tear, and when Leah is done, she hugs her tighter and presses her lips to her temple, lingering for a minute.

"I'm sorry," Leah whimpers, sliding her hand up to rest on the side of Fatin's neck. "I didn't mean to yell at you. Or push you. I was out of line."

"Lee," Fatin sighs, pulling back to peer down at Leah, who is absolutely wrecked. "You have nothing to apologize for. I know to expect the mood swings. I know you do not mean to do it. It's okay. You are struggling with coping, and that is okay. I don't expect you to be sunshine and rainbows all the time. I know it takes time to heal psychologically and emotionally. I'm not going to take any of it personally."

"Why are you so perfect?" Leah murmurs, her brows creasing as she peers up at Fatin, her fingers tracing along her sharp jaw. Fatin smiles and reaches up to grasp Leah's hand, pressing her lips to the pads of her fingers.

"I am not perfect. But I like to think I am perfect for you. We complement each other in the best way," She says, and Leah swallows.

"Did you mean it? What you said about being in love with me?"

Fatin's eyes soften, and she presses her forehead to Leah's, brushing their noses together as she holds Leah's nervous gaze. "Every word. I love you, Leah. I have for so long; I've been driving myself crazy trying to figure out the best time to tell you."

Leah's lips twitch, and she releases a long breath. "I love you too. So much. I can't imagine ever not loving you."

"Yeah?" Fatin asks, a slow grin spreading across her face and Leah nods, a genuine smile crossing her face.

"Yeah."

"Good," Fatin murmurs, brushing her lips against Leah's. "Because you're never getting rid of me, Rilke. So get used to seeing this face all the time; you're stuck with it."

Leah snickers and captures Fatin's lips in a sweet kiss.

"I think I can handle that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fixed it okay! Stop yelling at me!
> 
> (Thank you for reading and all the comments and kudos)


	22. month twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff. Just so much fluff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyoo, this one is a bit short, but it's sweet and literally all fluff, so that's something, at least.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this, and thank you so freaking much for all the kudos, comments and continuing to read this story; it means a lot.

"Put them on again."

Leah rolls her eyes but does as Fatin asks, slipping the black Ray-Ban style glasses back onto her face, grinning when Fatin groans and lets her head fall back.

"Thank you, Lord Saviour," Fatin whispers loudly, and Leah laughs, poking Fatin in the ribs.

Fatin flinches but sends her a grin before tackling her onto the bed. Leah lands on her back with a soft 'oomph,' and then Fatin's lips are on hers, hungry and demanding.

"Fuck, you are so sexy, Rilke," Fatin murmurs as she kisses along Leah's jaw, pulling a shiver from Leah when she reaches the spot on her neck just below her ear.

"Who knew you had such a glasses fetish?" Leah says with a laugh, and Fatin pops her head up to smirk down at her.

"I didn't know I had one until now, and I think it is only because it's you specifically who is wearing the frames."

"Smooth talker," Leah mutters, and Fatin hums as she dips her head to capture Leah's lips once more.

"Just honest."

"Well then, I feel as if I should confess something as well," Leah says when they part and Fatin cocks a brow as she stares down at her expectantly. "I find it incredibly hot when you wear my snapbacks and sweats."

Fatin laughs and reaches up to bop Leah's nose with her finger. "Oh, I know. You aren't subtle."

Leah grins as she shrugs and loops her arms around Fatin's neck. "Wasn't trying to be. You're mine Jadmani; I get to ogle you all I want."

Fatin smirks. "Fucking right Rilke."

Leah's phone goes off suddenly, and they jolt apart a little in surprise before Leah yanks her phone out of her back pocket to stop the alarm.

"Pill time?" Fatin asks, and she nods. Fatin sends her a soft smile and drops a kiss on her lips before standing, pulling Leah up with her. "Lead the way, M'lady."

//

_Three weeks ago..._

_"Tell me about this episode you mentioned earlier," Gretchen says, pen poised and ready and Leah grimaces, letting her eyes fall to the coaster on the table._

_Every time she is here, she finds it is always crooked._

_"I lost my shit," She says with a shrug, and Gretchen tilts her head curiously when Leah glances up._

_"In what way?"_

_"In the I-fucking-hate-myself-and-want-to-die kind of way," Leah says dryly, and Gretchen's lips purse, but she quickly jots down a note. "I yelled at Fatin, basically telling her I didn't believe I was worth the effort and that she should find someone else who isn't so fucked up. Then everything just spilled out. I told her I hated myself and was tired of all the headaches and gaps in my memory. My short-term memory is shot, and I have trouble reading. It's continuously blurry, and that is what set me off. I tried to read a book, and the words wouldn't fucking stop moving; it was just a giant smudge. So I threw it, and a bunch of other things before Fatin walked in and stopped me from launching my laptop at the wall."_

_"I see," Gretchen murmurs when she finishes writing, and Leah swallows when she meets her gaze, eyes piercing as she stares at Leah. "Do you still feel that way?"_

_Leah sucks her bottom lip into her mouth as she considers the mess of emotions that are swimming inside her, and after a long minute, she nods._

_"Yes."_

_"Okay." Gretchen pauses and shifts in her seat, leaning forward a little as she speaks again. "If you are comfortable with answering some questions, I would like to administer the Beck Depression Scale."_

_Leah frowns and shakes her head. "What's that?"_

_"It's a list of twenty-one self-rated questions. Basically, I ask you the question, and you tell me on a scale of one to four what you feel accurately represents the severity of each symptom. This helps me determine whether or not you are experiencing mild to severe depression, and we can go from there."_

_Leah purses her lips and digs her fingers into her thighs, suddenly nervous. "Okay, we can do that."_

_Gretchen sends her a smile before she stands to collect the questions. As Leah answers each one, she already knows what the outcome is going to be. But to hear Gretchen say it aloud is sobering, and Leah can't help but pick at her eyebrow as she listens to her speak._

_"Now, I should tell you that this is only an outline for me to follow; nothing is written in stone. And, of course, this may only be temporary. Many suffer from short-term depression, and a change in environment, diet, and or exercise can usually remedy that. But there is also long-term depression, which is where a person suffers from the symptoms for a minimum of two-years. And after going over your answers, you have scored in the severe range. That is not surprising given your current traumas. But I do need to know if you have been feeling this way well before now. Can you tell me when the last time you felt actual happiness? And I don't just mean in one moment, I mean overall with your life," Gretchen explains, and Leah's heart leaps into her throat._

_She doesn't know the last time she has been overall happy with her life. There's always been a sadness to her that she has never thought much of. It was normal for her. But now that she is forced to think back, she realizes she must have been a kid the last time she felt free of that turmoil. Definitely, before the stress of her mother's expectations for her became a factor._

_"I don't know," Leah rasps, and Gretchen frowns a little but doesn't speak, allowing Leah to piece her explanation together. "Those feelings and symptoms have kind of always been there. Not as severe, obviously, but just hiding under the surface. I'd say the last time I felt truly happy with myself would be before high school, maybe a few years earlier than that, around sixth grade. The pressure from my mom to be the best in soccer started the next year."_

_Gretchen hums in thought and quickly writes a few sentences before sending Leah a small smile._

_"Good, that's good. That gives me a decent understanding of what we are dealing with. There are options to help you battle this; the first, of course, is a prescription medication. That will take a few experimental stages to get right as everyone's body reacts differently to anti-depressants. The others are a change in your diet and increasing exercise if you are looking for natural methods. But if you are asking my professional opinion, I would recommend all three. Due to your diagnosis's severity, I think medication would be beneficial to you in the long run since you have gone nearly a decade already undiagnosed."_

_Leah nods slowly and scratches at the back of her neck awkwardly. "I think the pills are necessary. I know myself, and even with exercise and healthy eating, I still feel like this. I increased my exercising at the beginning of freshman year after learning that it can help with your mood and stuff, and growing up, I always ate healthily; it's just normal for me at this point. But it only helped to a certain degree."_

_"Some people need medication, Leah, and that is perfectly okay. It will help regulate your serotonin levels in a way that your body is unable to produce naturally. But there are side effects, which is why I still recommend exercise and a healthy diet. Meditation is a great practice as well. The medication can be hard on your body and take a little while for you to get used to it, but once you get past that first stage, you will notice the changes," Gretchen says gently, and Leah nods._

_"I understand."_

_"Alright then. I am going to write you a letter recommending you for a prescription. I will give you the number for a great psychiatrist, and she will be able to prescribe you the medication you need."_

_//_

"You have work today, right?" Fatin asks as she munches on a few crackers watching as Leah swallows her two pills.

"Yeah, at three. I'm still on half days."

"So what I'm hearing is Netflix and chill tonight?" Fatin says with a waggle of her eyebrows, and Leah chuckles as she places her empty glass in the sink.

"More like Netflix and sleep. These pills are still making me tired."

Fatin's arms slip around her waist from behind, and Leah immediately sinks back into her. "I'm good with that. Nothing better than falling asleep with you in my arms," She says, pressing a kiss to Leah's shoulder.

"You're a cheeseball," Leah mutters, but her lips quirk up in a smile, and she spins around to wrap her arms around Fatin's neck.

"I'm your cheeseball, and you love me and my stupid lines."

Leah smirks. "For some odd reason, yes."

"Rude," Fatin murmurs, pouting, and Leah pecks her lips.

"You love it."

"Mhmm," Fatin hums, latching onto Leah's lips for a real kiss before pressing her lips to Leah's nose. "I love being insulted by you. It's a turn-on."

Leah grins and pulls Fatin into a tight hug, closing her eyes as she buries her face into Fatin's neck. Fatin slides her hands higher up Leah's back, pulling her impossibly close, and they stand there in silence for a few minutes. For some reason, Leah has recently gotten into the habit of randomly hugging her. The first time she did this, Fatin was concerned but quickly understood Leah was taking comfort in her presence in the best way possible. She enjoys being close to her, and now after her breakdown, that feeling has intensified. She never wants Fatin to go a day without knowing she is appreciated and loved, especially as she learns to cope with her depression. She forgets many things these days, but this is one rule she has set for herself.

Never forget to show Fatin in any way possible that she is wanted and needed.

Leah doesn't tell Fatin this; of course, she knows Fatin will turn it around and tell her she is the one who deserves it more. But Leah has been slacking on the emotional support for Fatin; with all her own drama, she hasn't had the clear mind she needs to reciprocate all the things Fatin has done for her. But now, with her medication slowly working, she feels steadier. She feels capable of putting Fatin first the way she deserves after being Leah's rock for so long.

She just hopes she can keep herself from fucking it up.

//

Fatin jolts in her sleep, frowning as a quiet whimper escapes her mouth, and Leah is across the room in an instant, dropping her book on the chair she was curled up on in favour of settling next to her girlfriend. She sits upright against the headboard next to Fatin's head and gently runs her fingers through her long hair. Fatin's scrunched-up expression smoothes out with the touch, and she sighs, pushing her forehead into Leah's thigh unconsciously.

The nightmares for the both of them had been frequent the first couple weeks after Leah's accident, but slowly they became more sporadic, and for Leah personally, she hasn't had one in weeks. Fatin's have eased as well, but Leah has noticed they tend to happen when she is not in bed with her. It's as if Fatin's body sends a signal to her brain, alerting her to Leah's absence and immediately ruins the peace she is experiencing.

Leah tries not to go too far if she wakes in the middle of the night and cannot fall back to sleep. Usually, she will stay in bed holding Fatin as she sleeps, but some nights she is restless and needs to pace the room or distract herself with some reading. And now that she has prescription glasses, her vision has corrected itself, and she can enjoy her favourite hobby again.

So she moves to the recliner in the corner of the room and turns on the lamp behind it that casts a soft glow through the room but nothing too harsh that it will wake Fatin.

"Lee," Fatin mumbles, stretching in her sleep, her arm coming to curl over Leah's legs and burying her face into her thigh, pulling a grin from Leah.

She rarely gets to see this adorable side of Fatin, and whenever she does, her heart melts in her chest. She loves seeing the soft and vulnerable side of her, knowing she is the only one with such privilege. The fact that Fatin is so comfortable and trusts her unconditionally is something she cherishes greatly. She never wants to lose that.

With a content sigh, Leah carefully slides down the bed until her shoulder is now Fatin's pillow, and with practiced movements, she slips under the covers, tucking them under Fatin's chin.

She pulls off her glasses and sets them on the nightstand before shifting onto her side and pulling Fatin in close, resting her chin on top of her head as she lets her eyes fall shut. Fatin's slow and even breathes lull her back to sleep as she burrows in her warmth.

This is the one thing Leah can't believe she gets to do. Being Fatin's first and only choice is a gift that continues to blow her mind as she doesn't understand what she has done to deserve it, but she wouldn't change it for anything in the world.

Fatin Jadmani is it for her of that Leah is positive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aren't they just the cutest?


	23. four years later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four years have passed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thank you for being incredible and supporting this story.  
> This chapter is short but literally all fluff, and from now on that's all it will be. No angst I promise!  
> Hope you enjoy it!

_Three years later._

Leah beams as she crosses the stage in her navy blue gown and cap, the cheers and clapping deafening as she reaches the university's Headmaster. As she poses for her photo holding her diploma, a loud wolf whistle reaches her ears right before she hears the one voice she was expecting.

"That's my girlfriend!" Fatin shouts, and Leah laughs as she looks out at the crowd, easily spotting her family and friends in the front few rows.

She descends the stairs before crossing in front of the stage to retake her seat. As she passes her friends and parents, she sends them a wide grin as they all wave before she meets Fatin's proud eyes.

She sends her a wink which has Fatin's lips pulling up into a dopey grin before Leah continues to her row, ready to wait for the rest of her classmates to be called.

She has finally graduated, and Leah hasn't felt this happy in her entire life.

She officially has a graduate degree, majoring in English with a minor in psychology. What should have taken her four years took her her three as she decided to go to school year-round, wanting to finish early. And now that she has graduated Leah is ready to dive headfirst into the life of an author. The journals Dr. Klein had her write for therapy were the first pieces of the puzzle, and with a little persuasion from Gretchen and then Fatin, she wrote a loose timeline of her life's events, and after that, everything snowballed. By her second year of university, she had her first full draft written, and days before graduation, she got a call from the publisher her father knew.

They loved her draft and want to make it the real deal.

Next year, she will officially be a published author, her book available nationwide in all bookstores and online. And in three days, she and Fatin will be moving into their own house. Fatin's fashion line was quick to bloom after posting videos online commenting on people's clothing, which then grew into a whole blog dedicated to fashion and a youtube channel. After three years, she has over ten million subscribers, and with the help of Shelby, the two created the clothing brand _Wilds_ that has recently become popular.

Their dreams are becoming a reality, and Leah has never been prouder of Fatin or herself.

//

"Hey guys, I'm back with a new video as you demanded, and because Lee is so nice, she has agreed to be in this one, since many, _too many_ of you are obsessed with her," Fatin says into the camera, sending it a playful glare as Leah chuckles from her seat next to Fatin. "I see you bitches, and let me just say I do not appreciate you making moves on my girl."

Leah rolls her eyes and runs her fingers through Fatin's hair before resting her elbow on her shoulder as she looks towards the camera.

"As flattered as I am by the lovely dick pics, boys, I'm really not interested. And no, this is not me playing hard to get. I only want to sext with one person, and she's sitting next to me."

Fatin smirks, her chest puffing proudly as she looks over at Leah and presses a quick kiss to her cheek before focusing on the camera lens.

"Now that that is out of the way, hi, and welcome to _Fatin's Fashion!_ If you are new, thanks for randomly clicking on this video and please do try not to fall in love with my girlfriend. I already have enough competition as it is. Now let's get into it, shall we?"

Leah chuckles as she pulls out her phone and scrolls through the photos people sent Fatin over twitter to judge.

She selects the first tweet and holds up her phone to Fatin and then the camera.

"Oh, what the fuck is that?" Fatin asks in disgust, leaning in close to scrutinize the leopard print tank top with zebra-striped pants. The young woman wears large gold hoop rings, her hair bright pink, and finishes her look off with bright red lipstick and lime green high heels.

"I think it's pretty good," Leah says with a laugh and Fatin snickers as she pulls her gaze away from the screen to look at the camera.

"Girl, that is literally one of the worst outfits I have ever seen, and I am fucking impressed. This challenge is hilarious. Let me see what the girl's normal attire looks like," She says, and Leah is quick to swipe left the new photo filling her screen and Fatin's mouth drops open.

"Holy shit."

Leah quirks her brow at Fatin's reaction before turning the phone to look for herself. She nods slowly as she takes in the cropped brown hair, neutral makeup, black tights, and white crop top that shows off her toned stomach and makes the girl's tan pop. Leah glances up at the camera with a smirk. "Ma'am, if I weren't taken, I'd be asking for your number."

Fatin gasps and yanks the phone away from Leah immediately, scowling as she swipes the picture away. Leah laughs loudly and falls back into the couch, reaching for Fatin, who pouts and dramatically leans away from her touch.

"New rule! No hot girls are allowed to participate in this challenge."

Leah grins and tugs Fatin into her arms, peppering her face with kisses that have Fatin melting and quickly turning her head so their lips can meet.

"You know I think you are the sexiest person in the world, babe," Leah murmurs, and Fatin smiles into Leah's mouth.

"Damn right, Rilke. Now, we have more fans to judge."

Leah pecks Fatin's lips again before sitting up and wrapping her arm around her shoulders, the two of them looking down at Leah's phone as she swipes through the rest of the photos.

For twenty minutes, they judge and laugh at people's most extravagant and disastrous outfits before Fatin puts an end to it and pulls out an advanced copy of Leah's book from under the couch cushion she is sitting on.

Leah stares at it in surprise, and Fatin sends her a wink before facing the camera.

"As most of you know, my incredible girlfriend has been working for years on this masterpiece, and as a person who rarely reads and already knew everything written in here, I cried like a little bitch and somehow was left on the edge of my seat one second and laughing my ass off the next. _Tightrope on Fire_ is officially my favourite book ever, and I may be biased, but I also know what I like. That title alone is amazing and a perfect metaphor for this story. It's an autobiography and has everything I need in a book. You can buy it next week in all formats on May twenty-fifth, which coincidentally or not so coincidentally happens to be our anniversary. Three dollars of each purchase is donated to _Futures Without Violence_. Please, even if you are not an avid reader like myself, buy this book because it is life-changing, and it is definitely a topic we all should learn about. Sexual assault and domestic violence isn't a fucking joke, and as someone who has been witness to the aftermath of such acts, it is tough to know what to do or how to help a person through the grief and coping that comes afterwards. Leah explains it beautifully in her book on how loved ones and even strangers can help a survivor through that dark period. She also discusses depression and anxiety and has excerpts from her friends who have gone through the same experience as her, and they give their input and reiterate their own stories in here as well, and it's just a gorgeous piece of writing. You won't regret spending that twenty bucks. And please, if there are any of you who are in an abusive relationship right now and are stuck, reach out to Leah or me, and we will gladly help you in any way we can. That's all I got for now. Stay sexy bitches," Fatin says, sending the camera her signature smirk, and Leah buries her face in Fatin's neck to hide her tears.

Fatin immediately presses her lips to the top of her head before reaching for the tiny remote connected to the camera clicking the stop button.

"I fucking love you," Leah murmurs and Fatin smiles, reaching up to cup Leah's cheek, running her thumb back and forth over her soft skin.

"I love you too."

"I was not expecting that sudden book promotion."

Fatin chuckles as Leah pulls back and looks up at her with a bright smile. "You think I wouldn't use my fame for selfish reasons? I feel like you should have expected me to preach about how fucking amazing you and your book are. I live to put you in the spotlight. And now millions of people are going to buy your book just because I told them to. I hold all the power, Rilke. You might even consider calling me Mistress from now on."

Leah releases a bark of laughter and pulls away from Fatin, shaking her head. "Three years later, and you still can't let that go, can you?"

"Almost four, actually. And no, I refuse. I deserve that title," Fatin says with a smirk, and Leah rolls her eyes.

"In your dreams, Jadmani. Now come help me with dinner, the girls will be here soon, and we still have to clean up."

"Lee, come on. Just say it!" Fatin whines as Leah stands and walks a few feet away before she turns back with a smirk.

"Finish the dishes, and I may consider it," She says, crossing her arms and Fatin's pout is quickly replaced with a scowl.

"That psychological bullshit isn't going to work. I'm not doing either," Fatin grumbles and Leah snickers.

"Yeah? And I'm not putting out tonight."

Fatin scrunches up her face in misery and tilts her head back, so it hits the back of the couch as she watches Leah saunters out of the room, her tight jeans clinging to her toned legs and ass.

"Fuck! Alright, I'll do the stupid dishes!"

She hears Leah's distant laughter and grins to herself as she stands from the couch. For two years, they have lived on their own in a modern sized two-story house on the outskirts of LA, all of their friends close by, the farthest being Rachel and Martha, living an hour away.

And even though they have the same argument nearly every night, Fatin loves it. The outcome is always the same; she complains and refuses to do the dishes, Leah bargains and Fatin caves. It's so fucking predictable and domestic Fatin sometimes can't believe this is her life.

"I don't hear any water running!" Leah calls from upstairs, and Fatin chuckles to herself as she walks into the kitchen. The shit she does for this woman. Toni was right all those years ago. She is fucking whipped.

//

"We are all over Twitter," Fatin says casually as they walk hand in hand down the street, pretending not to notice the paparazzi hiding around corners snapping photos. Leah glances over at Fatin's phone and sighs when she sees the hashtag _Leatin_ is trending again.

"What is it this time?" She asks, and Fatin shrugs as she pockets her phone, pressing closer to Leah, their arms linked.

"Same old, shipping wars between Shoni and us. Though my video with you has gone viral and sparked lots of discussion about when we are getting married."

Leah smiles to herself and glances towards Fatin, who meets her gaze with a smirk. "Is that so? And what did you tweet?"

"Obviously that we are already married and have been for two years now," Fatin says bluntly, and Leah laughs, linking her fingers with Fatin's before lifting their hands and pressing her lips to Fatin's knuckles.

"Of course you did. That will have them freaking out for a good while until Dot and Rachel inevitably see it and shut that rumour down."

Fatin grins and shrugs as they stop outside the restaurant where they are meeting Toni and Shelby. "It's fun while it lasts," She says, and Leah rolls her eyes.

"You're so mean playing with their poor emotions like that. They idolize us. They are going to be crushed with they find out we aren't even engaged."

"And who's fault is that?" Fatin asks sarcastically, and Leah bites back a grin.

"Yours."

"Excuse you? Why am I the one who has to propose?"

"Because you're the romantic one out of the two of us," Leah fires back, and Fatin scoffs.

"I think it's time for you to woo me, Rilke. I ain't proposing. So you better come up with the best fucking proposal. Meaning fireworks and all. I hear skywriting is in style these days," Fatin says, her smirk growing with each second, and Leah rolls her eyes.

"I am not fucking proposing by skywriting, and fireworks are terrible for the environment."

"I hear a lot of excuses, Leah. One would think you don't want to put a ring on this."

Leah's features soften as Fatin sends her a teasing smile. She wraps her arms around Fatin and pulls her close, so their noses brush. "You know I want to marry the shit out of you. But I will not be taking your terrible suggestions for a proposal. I know what you like, and when the time is right, you won't know what hit you. I'm going to sweep you off your feet."

Leah watches Fatin's throat bob, and she glances up to meet Fatin's dark gaze.

"Well then, I will be waiting anxiously for that day, and until then, I will make sure to be wearing my best shoes."

Leah grins and leans down to capture Fatin's lips softly.

"God, you two are fucking sickening," Toni scoffs, and the pair pull apart, each sending her a glare, and Toni smirks.

"Always with the terrible timing, Shalifoe," Fatin snarks as she takes Leah's hand, and Toni chuckles with a shrug.

"I like to think of it as a gift."

"You would," Leah sighs, but she grins and tugs Toni into a tight hug. The two haven't seen each other in weeks, with Toni continuously travelling for basketball and Leah promoting her book around the country. Hence the dinner.

When they pull apart, Leah moves to hug Shelby and then the foursome are heading inside.

"You two are aware there are like ten people with cameras stalking you, right?" Shelby says sarcastically as they sit at their table on the back patio overlooking the ocean.

"Yep," Leah and Fatin say in unison and Toni snickers as she picks up her menu.

"We have famous friends, babe," She says to Shelby, who smiles and presses a kiss to Toni's head before she looks over her own menu.

"As if you two aren't just as much in the spotlight," Fatin scoffs, and Shelby shrugs.

"I think it's less subtle for us, which I don't mind at all. I like my privacy."

"Yeah, we don't go spilling our whole life story to the world," Toni says with a wink in Leah's direction and Leah groans.

"Shut up. I immediately began regretting it when the books hit the shelves."

"I think it's incredible," Shelby says with a gentle smile, and Leah sends her one in return.

"Yeah, it's insanely courageous, Rilke. I'm just teasing. I read that shit in one sitting," Toni adds quickly, and Leah's brows raise.

"You read it?"

"Obviously," Toni scoffs. "What kind of person would I be if I didn't support my best friend and immediately tweet about it to showcase how sweet I am?"

Leah laughs, and Toni beams at her before they focus on the waiter who walks up just then.

"What can I get you, ladies?"

For the rest of the dinner, the four eat and catch up; Leah and Toni continuously riling each other up to make up for the lost time, and when they go to leave, Leah pulls her back, allowing Shelby and Fatin to walk a few paces ahead.

Toni looks over at her in concern, and Leah takes a deep breath as she meets Toni's gaze.

"I need your help."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again there is no angst in any future chapters so don't worry about this little cliffhanger.


	24. four years later pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toni is a good bro.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is short and sweet! Hope you enjoy it and thank you for all the love. You guys are incredible.

"Oh my fucking god, just pick one!" Toni hisses, slumping over the jewellery case and the woman standing behind it, helping chuckles to herself while Leah groans and mirrors Toni's position. Her shoulders slump, and she runs her hands through her hair as she peers down at the rings sparkling in the shop light.

"Fuck, this is stupid," Leah mutters, standing upright abruptly, and Toni raises her brows in surprise. "I can't make this decision. They are all nice but not what I am looking for. This is the fourth store, and I still can't find the right ring."

"Dude Fatin would accept a fucking ring pop if you proposed with it. She doesn't care what it looks like," Toni stresses, and Leah shakes her head immediately.

"But I do. This has to be perfect, Toni. She deserves the best ring."

"If I may," The jeweller interrupts, sending a comforting smile towards Leah as she speaks. "I think I have a collection in the back that you may be interested in. If you would like to see it, of course."

Leah perks up and quickly nods, sending the woman a pleased smile. "I'd love to thank you."

"I'll just be a moment," She says, and Leah nods, watching as the woman heads for the back room, leaving Toni and Leah alone.

"I swear to god, Rilke, if you don't pick one out of that collection, I'm ditching you. I can only handle so much shopping," Toni grumbles, and Leah rolls her eyes.

"If it weren't for my high standards, you wouldn't have just found a ring for Shelby five minutes ago."

Toni's cheeks flush, and she ducks her head to avoid Leah's amused gaze. Toni shifts her arm to uncover the ring she was attempting to hide with her body, but Leah is observant and knows when Toni is acting weird.

"Maybe. But at least I wasn't neurotic about it," Toni says, and Leah chuckles as the jeweller walks out with a tray of rings in her hands.

"This is our oldest collection; a few of these rings date back to the nineteen-twenties and World War II. If our modern rings are not up to your standards, perhaps these will pique your interest. They are incredibly unique compared to everything upfront."

Leah's eyes gravitate to one specific ring immediately as soon as the tray is placed on the counter.

"That one," She says, pointing towards it, and Toni leans over, whistling lowly as the jeweller carefully picks it up and holds it out to Leah.

"Shit, that's nice," Toni says in disbelief, and Leah grins as she gently takes the ring, admiring it in the light.

"That ring is from nineteen-twenty-two, Vienna, Austria. It is a five-carat royal blue oval sapphire set on a thin platinum band and accented by two round brilliant diamonds that amount to one carat combined," The jeweller explains as Leah runs her fingertip over the sapphire.

"I'll take it. How much is it?" Leah asks, and Toni perks up, standing up straight as the woman smiles.

"Nine thousand and fifty dollars. It is certainly one of our rarer rings."

Toni chokes on her next breath, and Leah glances up from the ring slowly. After a minute of deliberation, she nods and hands the ring back to the jeweller.

"I'd also like it engraved."

"Jesus," Toni mutters, no doubt trying to calculate the total after the engravement, and Leah smiles to herself as the woman nods and pulls out a slip of paper and a pen.

"Write down what you would like engraved, and the ring size needed, and I will print out an invoice for you totalling the additional costs."

After one week, the engagement ring's engraving and size adjustments are finished, and Leah immediately hides the box as soon as she arrives home. Fatin is none the wiser, which helps Leah plan.

//

Fatin skips through the sand, grinning as she spins around with her arms extended getting dizzy, knowing Leah is snapping pictures of her using her camera.

It's their date night, the first after a long few weeks, and she is beyond excited. The sun is setting, leaving behind a pink and blue sky that fades into the horizon. The waves are gently crashing behind her, and she feels all her stress melt away.

Leah clears her throat, and Fatin opens her eyes immediately. Leah is standing next to a large blanket spread out on the sand with pillows and a picnic basket sitting on top. Candles are sticking out of the sand in a half-circle above the blanket, and Fatin looks up at Leah in surprise. She had not noticed the setup at all on their walk down the deserted beach.

"We both have been stressed this month, so I thought I'd treat us to an official date," Leah murmurs, and Fatin's lips pull up in a soft smile.

"It's perfect, Lee."

Leah grins and holds out her hand for Fatin to take before gently pulling her towards the blanket, and the pair sit down on a couple of the pillows before Leah pulls out the food she packed, followed by a bottle of Fatin's favourite wine and two glasses.

Fatin grins and eager holds out her wine glass for Leah to fill as soon as she pops the cork earning a chuckle from Leah. They dig into the crackers and cheese, along with the assorted fruits Leah packed as their after-dinner snack.

"Man, I will never get tired of this view," Fatin sighs, sipping on her wine as she watches the sun continue to set over the water and Leah hums.

"Neither will I," Leah says quietly and Fatin peers over, finding Leah staring at her instead of the sky. Fatin laughs and nudges Leah's arm with her elbow.

"You're such a cliche, Rilke."

Leah grins broadly and sets her glass down before standing and holding out her hands for Fatin. "Yeah? Well then, I may as well pull out all the stops."

Fatin snickers as Leah pulls her up and leads her a few feet away. As soon as they stop walking, Fatin hears a soft melody begin to float through the air, and she glances down, finding Leah putting her phone back in her pocket.

"Bluetooth speaker," Leah explains, tilting her head towards the blanket, and Fatin grins as Leah pulls her close.

"You've got everything set up, don't you?" She murmurs as they begin to sway together, and Leah smirks.

"Obviously. I even got your favourite dessert."

"Oh, you are so getting laid tonight," Fatin groans, and Leah laughs, throwing back her head as Fatin watches her with a bright smile. When Leah's laughter dissipates, Fatin presses a soft kiss to her lips, and Leah melts against her.

For a minute, they continue to explore each others' mouths before Leah pulls back and takes Fatin's hand, and twirls her out unexpectedly. Fatin laughs and allows Leah to spin her back into her body, her left hand falling Leah's shoulder as their dancing becomes more formal. Leah leads her in a simple dance, mostly just swaying them side to side in a circle as Fatin rests her head on Leah's shoulder and presses closer, enjoying Leah's warmth and strong arm wrapped around her back.

She catches the song change, and she smiles to herself when she recognizes the song. It's their song. Leah pulls back then and sends her a grin as she spins Fatin under her arm and releases her hand as she goes so Fatin is left standing alone facing the water with Leah a few feet behind.

Fatin frowns and turns around only to freeze when she sees Leah down on one knee with a ring box open in her hand.

"Holy shit," Fatin whispers, tears springing to her eyes immediately as she stares down at Leah in disbelief. Leah laughs a little and looks down at the ring, then up to Fatin, a shy smile on her face.

"I told you I wasn't going to take your proposal suggestions," Leah rasps, and a bubble of laughter escapes Fatin as she takes a few steps forward so she can take a closer look at the ring. And fuck if it isn't the most gorgeous thing she has ever seen. She doesn't even want to know how much it cost.

"You did say that, and I am so happy you didn't listen," Fatin says, her throat tight with emotion, and Leah bites her lip as she reaches out to take Fatin's left hand in one of her own before locking their eyes.

"Fatin Jadmani, you are my best friend, my family, and my love. You are my partner in crime and have always been everything I ever needed and wanted in a companion. I never want to part from you, and I can't believe how in love with you I am. It's all-consuming, and you have never once let me down. You make me laugh, constantly feel loved, and I am home whenever I am with you, which I never want to change. So what I would like to know is if you will make me the happiest person alive and marry me?" Leah says, her eyes watering as she stares up at Fatin, who chokes on a sob and nods so hard she feels like a bobblehead.

"Yes. Yes, of course, I will," Fatin gasps, and Leah beams as she pulls the ring out of the box and slowly slips it onto Fatin's left ring finger.

A perfect fit.

Leah stands, and as soon as she is on her feet, Fatin leaps into her arms, wrapping her legs around Leah's waist as she crashes their lips together. The kiss is messy and tastes of tears, but Fatin has never been happier.

She is engaged to the love of her life.

"I love you," Fatin murmurs against Leah's lips, and Leah's grip on Fatin's thighs tightens.

"I love you too. So much."

//

Fatin's Instagram and Twitter posts of their engagement photo that night nearly break the internet. In the picture, they sit on the blanket, Leah behind Fatin with her arms wrapped around her neck kissing her cheek as Fatin grins at the camera holding up her left hand to show off her ring, the sunset in the background providing a perfect backdrop. And when Leah posts a snippet of the video she secretly recorded of her proposing, she gains roughly fifty-thousand followers in one day after all the retweets and reposts from their fans.

The tabloids go crazy with the announcement, and the amount of paparazzi following them doubles for about two weeks until Toni finally decides it's time to steal the spotlight with her proposal to Shelby in the mountains on their sixth anniversary. She had taken Shelby on a ski trip to Switzerland and definitely surpassed Leah's simple proposal, but Leah knows that's not what matters. She is ecstatic that the two will tie the knot one day, just like her and Fatin.

This means their friends will take over both weddings, trying to plan it all, but Leah is fine with that. All she cares about is that Fatin walks down the aisle and says, 'I Do.'

"Have you chosen your maid of honour?" Martha asks excitedly as they all sit around the fire in Fatin and Leah's backyard, and Leah chuckles, glancing towards Fatin, who immediately nods.

"My girl Dottie over there is going to be my bitch."

Dot groans and everyone laughs, but she looks flattered and sends Fatin a small smile before taking a sip of her drink.

"What about you, Rilke?" Rachel asks, wrapping her arm around Martha's shoulders, and everyone looks to her immediately.

Leah laughs awkwardly and glances down at her feet for a moment before letting her eyes roam her friends' faces. Alanna, Olivia, Renee, Daisy and Quinn managed to join their main group of friends. However, Renee would have been there no matter what since she and Dot have finally got their shit together and made their friends-with-benefits deal official, much to Fatin's amusement. She called Dot's fluid sexuality long ago.

Finally, Leah's eyes settle on Toni, and for a moment, they stare at each other before Toni tilts her head to the side curiously, and Leah quirks her brow in a subtle question. A slow smile begins to spread across Toni's face, and Leah immediately matches it.

"I was thinking of asking Toni," She finally says, and everyone immediately nods, not expecting anything less. They are all aware of the close bond they have.

"Well, I call a bridesmaid spot on Rilke's side," Rachel says bluntly, and Fatin gasps in offence earning a smirk from Rachel before Martha pipes up.

"I'll be Fatin's!"

"I will be on whoever's side I am wanted," Shelby adds with a wink in Fatin and Leah's direction and the pair glance at each other.

"Actually, we were thinking of asking you to officiate," Fatin tells her and Shelby's eyes widen.

"Really?"

"Yeah. We want everyone to be involved in some way to make it more personal and intimate," Leah explains, and Shelby grins from ear to ear.

"I will be honoured. I'm sure my dad can help get me ordained, or I can do it online," Shelby says, and they grin.

"Perfect," Fatin says and then she turns to Nora, who is sitting quietly between Quinn and her sister. "Nor, if you wouldn't mind, I'd love it if you would be one of my bridesmaids?"

Nora perks up, and a wide smile spreads across her face. "Of course, Fatin."

"Fatin's brothers are going to join her side, so I was wondering if you girls would be interested in being apart of mine?" Leah asks Alanna, Renee, Olivia, Quinn, and Daisy. They all nod immediately, and Leah grins.

"Dude, your bachelorette party is going to be fucking lit," Renee says immediately, and Toni cheers, leaning across Dot to high-five her pulling a laugh from Leah.

"No strippers," Fatin blurts, and the pair look at her in disbelief.

"Excuse you?" Toni asks, and Leah bites back a grin. "I listen to my girl Rilke, not you. And if she wants strippers, she will get them. You have your own little party to attend."

Leah rubs her forehead and shrugs when Fatin glances her way, getting an eye roll from her in response but Leah can tell this whole conversation is in jest. Fatin doesn't care if she has strippers at her party or not. She knows nothing will ever happen, and vice versa.

"I'm thinking Vegas," Renee says, looking to Toni. "What about you, Shalifoe?"

"Dude New Orleans is where it's at," Toni says, and Renee's eyes widen.

"Oh fuck yes."

The girls go back and forth, firing out destinations for both parties, and when there is an argument about which side gets which city, it's Shelby who suggests combining the parties, so no one is left out of either's experience.

Leah wouldn't admit it, but she is happy Shelby came up with that idea. She would miss Fatin too much, and by the way Fatin tightens her grip on Leah's hand; she knows her feelings are mutual. They want to experience every major milestone together, and that includes a silly tradition of partying before their wedding.

"What about you bitches?" Fatin asks once everyone settles down, and immediately everyone's eyes are on Toni and Shelby. "Who are your choices?"

"I know I'm yours, Rilke, but Martha has had the spot of my maid of honour since we were kids," Toni says apologetically, and Leah waves her off.

"I wouldn't expect anything less," She says with a smile and Toni nods.

"But I do want you as a bridesmaid."

"Then a bridesmaid I will be," Leah replies, and Toni grins before moving on to ask Rachel.

"Nora, I'd love it if you were my maid of honour," Shelby says, and immediately Nora looks like she could cry, but her smile is bright, and she nods quickly.

"What about me?" Fatin whines, and everyone laughs while Leah pokes her in the ribs.

"Fatin, my dear, I would be very pleased if you agreed to be my bridesmaid," Shelby says with a chuckle, and Fatin smirks.

"Hell yeah, baby."

"My sister will be my third," Shelby adds, and they all nod, but Toni turns to Dot.

"Campbell, you better join Shelb in her ordainment because you are marrying us."

Dot chokes and tries to shake her head, but everyone cheers and laughs, Renee the loudest as she hugs her girlfriend.

"Awe, my little minister in training," Renee coos, and everyone loses it again.

"I hate my life," Dot grumbles, but she is smiling, and Leah burrows into Fatin's side as she watches her friends joke around.

She can't wait for more years full of this.


	25. four years later pt. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leah makes a discovery.

Leah parks the car and quickly jogs up to the house, using her key to enter silently. She has to use the bathroom so badly she nearly leaves the front door wide open in her haste to enter. She knows Rana won't mind her walking in; she's done it plenty of times over the years without Fatin at her side. Shortly after Fatin and Leah moved to LA, Rana sold the house and moved her and the boys closer. Ahmad was surprisingly okay with it. He had wanted to move for some time, but because the boys were in Berkley, he stayed. They live roughly an hour and a half away now, but it's much better than the five hours it used to be. The drive from Berkley to LA was a bitch, and they all hated it.

Leah's parents finally decided to move closer, too, in the last year, which Leah finds comforting. They worked hard on their relationship with her, and she would make frequent trips back home to see them, and in return, they drove to LA nearly every weekend. They even helped Leah and Fatin move into their new house.

With Rana living in Bakersfield now, her house is a convenient stop for Leah to make on her way home from a book signing in San Francisco.

As Leah runs for the bathroom, slipping down the hall, she hears a noise as she passes the living room and immediately turns, expecting Rana to be sitting there, and opens her mouth to tell her she is just running to the bathroom only to freeze, her eyes widening in shock.

"Oh my fucking god," She mutters, and she watches as Rana and Michelle spring apart in surprise. Rana pulls herself off Michelle; both of them have been lying on the couch in the middle of a very heated makeout session that Leah wishes she could scrub from her mind. So many wandering hands, and with Rana being like a second mother to her, she is very disturbed by the sight.

"Leah! Sorry, I um didn't hear you come in!" Rana says in a rush, her face flushed and hair wild, which she tries to tame, but Leah is not focused on the hair. It's the half-open blouse and the visible hickeys on her chest that catch her eye before she adverts her attention to the ceiling.

"Yeah, I uh forgot to text you. I needed to use the bathroom and thought we could catch up for a bit before I continue home," She says, voice strained as she continues to let her eyes sweep over the room, pointedly not looking in Rana and Michelle's direction as they adjust their clothing and hair.

"You can look, Leah," Michelle says with amusement, and Leah scrunches up her nose a little, not looking away from the window.

"I'm okay, thank you."

Michelle snickers, and Rana groans, which has Leah's cheeks heating slightly. This is mortifying for them both.

"Honey, I am so sorry," Rana says, and that has Leah peeling her gaze away from the window and to Rana, who looks guilty and embarrassed, something Leah has never seen before. "You shouldn't have seen that. Fatin isn't even aware of our relationship yet, and I did not plan on you finding out like this. I was hoping to do it over dinner with the boys and Fatin next week."

Leah swallows and glances towards Michelle, who is sending Rana a soft smile and taking her hand in hers so gently that Leah softens. The shock of seeing them together is slowly fading and is replaced by a subtle warmth in her chest. She can see how they came together. Both are powerful and independent women but soft and vulnerable in their own ways. They compliment each other well, but a question has been nagging at her.

"How long has this been going on?" Leah blurts, waving her finger between them and Rana grimaces, glancing towards Michelle before speaking.

"A year."

Leah chokes on nothing, and she is back to staring at them wide-eyed. "What! A year? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I was hesitant to enter a new relationship," Rana says, sending Leah a soft smile. "I didn't want the boys to be confused and uncomfortable with seeing me with someone new so soon after the divorce, so I hid it. But Michelle and I have been good friends for years, and the boys know her, and I just wanted to be one hundred percent certain that this was the right choice before I brought someone new into the picture."

Leah softens, and she sends Rana a smile. "I get that. I can't believe I didn't notice it, though. You two definitely had been spending more time together after my trial."

"That's what brought us back together actually," Michelle says with a tiny grin, and Leah raises her brows. "We were roommates in University but went our separate ways soon after, only keeping in touch via phone and email over the years. But when she called me asking for me to represent you, that was the first time we had seen each other in roughly ten years. It kickstarted our friendship again, and then last year, it evolved into more. It was unexpected but certainly one of the best things to happen to me."

A grin slowly spreads across Leah's face as she watches Rana press her forehead into Michelle's cheek, both smiling so brightly Leah wants to snap a picture. They are so fucking cute, and it was her shit with Jeff that brought them together. If she ever needed a positive spin to put on that experience, it would be this.

"You're welcome then," Leah finally says, and the pair laugh when they see the cocky grin on her face.

"Don't you have to use the bathroom, Miss Rilke?" Michelle asks with a cocked brow, and Leah blinks.

Immediately the discomfort in her bladder comes back into focus with urgency, and Leah groans. "Fuck," She hisses before she spins and sprints for the bathroom as Michelle and Rana laugh loudly at her misfortune.

//

Leah has struggled for nine days not to say anything about what she walked in on to Fatin. She is buzzing with the effort not to let the secret slip, and Fatin has noticed.

"Fatin, don't be grumpy," Leah sighs as they step out of the car and walk towards the front door of Rana's house. Fatin sends her a glare and crosses her arms as she walks up the pathway.

"I'm not grumpy, Rilke. I just don't get what is so damn secret that you can't tell me. We tell each other everything," She grumbles and Leah groans, letting her head fall back as she stops in front of Fatin and spins around.

"It's not my secret to tell. But since you can't chill with this, I will tell you that by the end of the night, you will know what it is, okay?" Leah says in exasperation, and Fatin frowns, searching her face as if the answer will be written across her forehead. When that, unfortunately, doesn't happen, she sighs and nods.

Leah sends her a grateful smile before turning back to the door and shoving it open, allowing Fatin to enter the house ahead of her.

Arry is the first to notice their arrival and immediately sprints into the kitchen with a wide grin and slams into Leah's body. Leah grunts but wraps her arms around him tight, pressing a kiss to his head. He is now nine and growing rapidly; he is no longer the tiny five-year-old she first met.

"Still the favourite I see," Fatin mutters, and Leah sends her a smirk as Arry giggles and turns his head to meet his sister's gaze while still clinging to Leah.

"Leah is better than you," He says bluntly, and Leah laughs loudly as Fatin's jaw drops.

"Oh, you little-" Fatin says, reaching for him, but he bolts for the hallway, Fatin taking chase immediately. "Get back here, you brat!"

Leah smiles as she follows behind at a walk and finds Sam, Rana and Michelle sitting in the living room, all watching Fatin chase Arry down the hall and back until he scrambles into the room and dives into Leah's arms as she sits down, knocking her back into the armchair.

Fatin rounds the corner and throws up her hands when she sees him curled up in Leah's lap, as smug as a nine-year-old can be when he knows he is protected from his big sister.

"Seriously, babe, you gotta stop coddling him. He needs to understand there are consequences to insulting me," Fatin says, and Leah scoffs, hugging Arry closer to her chest, resting her cheek on his head.

"I don't have to do anything, Jadmani. He's my little man," She replies, and Fatin rolls her eyes as she plops down on the floor next to Sam, who leans over and gives her a side hug.

"At least one brother appreciates me," Fatin says, and Sam rolls his eyes. Now at fourteen, he is already taller than Fatin, closing in quickly on Leah's five-foot-nine height.

"I'm just polite," Sam says, and Leah laughs along with Arry, Rana and Michelle.

"The abuse!" Fatin cries, falling back on the floor dramatically, which has Sam scooting away from her.

"So dramatic," Rana teases, and Fatin lifts her head to send her mother a glare.

"I wonder where I got that from."

Michelle chokes on her drink, and Leah hides her grin in Arry's hair when Rana sends Michelle a glare, and Leah can tell Fatin caught that interaction by the way she slowly sits up and eyes the pair curiously.

"Obviously your father," Rana argues when she turns back to Fatin, and Sam scoffs.

Rana raises her brows and turns her gaze to him, but he actively avoids her probing gaze like the smart child he is and continues to fiddle with the model car he is currently building on the table.

"Anyways," Rana says, pointedly steering the conversation in another direction which has Leah's grin widening. "Dinner will be done cooking in a few minutes, so why don't you guys set the table."

Fatin and Sam groan in unison but stand while Leah and Arry climb out of the chair and follow. On their way out, Leah glances back at Rana and Michelle, sending them a grin before leaving them alone.

Fatin is quick to pull Leah aside when they enter the kitchen and leans in close. "Did you see anything weird going on with my mom and Michelle?" She asks, and Leah frowns, shaking her head slowly.

"No?"

"Come on, Leah, there's this weird tension or something; I can't be the only one who sensed it."

Leah has to bite back a grin. Oh, if only Rana were hearing this conversation right now. "Fatin, I don't know what the hell you are talking about. They are like best friends; they always act that way."

Fatin scowls and releases Leah's hand. "No, there is something there I know it. Do you think my mom could have a crush on Michelle?"

Leah's eyes widen, and she laughs, shaking her head. Damn, Fatin really is a guru when it comes to sexual tension. "Babe, I think you are reading too much into this. But I mean, if she does have a crush, she could do a lot worse than Michelle, don't you think? That woman is hot."

"Dude, that is your lawyer," Fatin grumbles, but Leah can tell by the way her lips quirk up she agrees with Leah's statement.

"Ex-lawyer," Leah corrects, and Fatin rolls her eyes.

"Whatever. And yeah, I guess Michelle isn't a terrible person to have a crush on. It's just weird; that's my mom, you know?"

_You have no idea_ , Leah thinks with a grimace, the memory of Rana and Michelle practically grinding on each other flashing through her mind.

"I know, babe. But she's a grown woman; I think she can handle a crush without your meddling," Leah says, and Fatin scoffs.

"I wasn't going to meddle."

Leah raises her brows and, for a moment, stares down at Fatin silently until she sighs and crosses her arms, sending Leah a pout.

"Fine, I was going to meddle," Fatin mutters, and Leah smirks.

"Hey! We aren't setting the table by ourselves," Sam calls in annoyance, and the pair looks over, finding him standing at the counter next to the stack of plates and cutlery he pulled out of the cupboards while Arry sets the glasses next to them.

Leah chuckles, and Fatin sighs, but they move to help the boys finish the job Rana gave all four of them.

//

After dinner, they decide to head out to the backyard. Leah watches Fatin as she fails to hide her staring at Rana and Michelle. Her eyes rarely left the pair throughout the entire dinner, and Leah seriously wishes Rana would just come out with it.

"Stop staring," Leah hisses in Fatin's ear as Rana and Michelle focus on Arry and the story he is excitedly telling them, and Fatin jolts in surprise.

"I'm not," She argues quietly, and Leah scoffs, earning a glare from Fatin, but it only lasts for a second before her gaze finds her mother again.

"Fatin," Leah says sternly and Fatin groans but pulls her gaze away from Michelle and Rana. Leah watches as she stands from her lawn chair, reaching down to take Leah's cup from her.

"I'll get us some refills," She says, and Leah nods; Rana and Michelle are also watching her head back inside, and Leah practically leaps from her chair to cross the distance between her and Rana.

Arry and Sam decided to leave the three of them, favouring kicking around a soccer ball, and Leah slumps into Arry's vacant seat next to Rana.

"Please, please, please tell her," Leah begs, and Rana's eyes widen. "She knows something is up, and I can't handle her constant questions and suspicion. So please, for the love of God, put me out of my misery."

Michelle snickers as Rana opens her mouth, only to shut it seconds later, at a loss for words. After a moment, Rana nods, and Leah releases a long breath, relaxing into the chair.

"Thank you," She mutters, and Rana chuckles just as Fatin returns and looks down at Leah curiously but doesn't question her change of seats as she hands her the wine glass she refilled.

"So what are we talking about?" Fatin asks as she takes the empty seat next to Leah and Rana glances at Leah then at Michelle. Michelle sends her a comforting smile, and Rana nods before calling out to the boys.

"Boys, can you please come over here? I have something to tell you."

Sam and Arry immediately stop playing with the soccer ball and run back to the circle of chairs while Fatin sits up straight and frowns, looking at her mother in concern.

Rana takes a deep breath before clearing her throat and sending the boys and Fatin a gentle smile.

"Like you, boys know, Michelle and I have been spending more time together," She begins, and the boys nod quickly while Fatin's frown deepens. "Well, there is a reason for that. We are not just friends. Michelle and I have begun dating."

Sam glances from Michelle and Rana with a cute crinkle between his brows, while Arry only smiles at them.

"We know," Sam says as if it has been obvious, and Leah chokes on a laugh when Rana stiffens in surprise.

"What?"

"Mom, come on. You aren't exactly subtle," He says, and that comment leaves Leah in a fit of laughter as Rana and Michelle share a look of disbelief.

"Hold up," Fatin says abruptly, pointing her finger towards Leah and then to Rana. "You knew about this? This was the secret?"

Leah calms herself a little and manages to nod and Fatin groans, slumping in her chair.

"Damn you, Rilke. You had me going on and on about how there was tension between them all night, and you knew this entire time?"

Leah snickers and leans over to press a kiss to Fatin's cheek. "Sorry, baby, but I promised I wouldn't tell."

Fatin rolls her eyes but smiles and links her fingers through Leah's before she freezes and glances towards Rana and Michelle.

"Wait, how did Leah find out?" She asks, and Rana's cheeks immediately flush, along with Leah's.

I might have walked in on them," Leah mutters, so quietly Fatin has to lean close in an attempt to hear.

"What?"

"I said, I walked in on them."

Fatin's eyes widen, and she whips her head back to her mother, who cringes at the memory and buries her face into Michelle's shoulder, avoiding Fatin's gaze.

"Holy shit," Fatin says before a bark of laughter escapes her, and Leah grins as she watches Fatin lose control.

"Welcome to the club Leah," Sam says solemnly, and Rana gasps loudly, sitting up so fast she nearly knocks her head against Michelle's chin.

"What? Samar, please tell me you are only teasing," Rana says desperately, but Sam shakes his head, and Leah recognizes the disturbed look on his face.

"Can't, sorry, mom. You should really not choose the common areas to do that stuff."

Leah falls into a fit of laughter along with Fatin, who is wheezing at this point, nearly falling out of her seat while Rana stares at her son in mortification.

"What are you laughing at?" Sam asks Fatin in annoyance, and they glance over at him. "You two did the same. Too often. At least mom and Michelle were conservative about it."

Leah stops laughing abruptly, and Fatin chokes on her next breath when Rana looks at them sternly.

"I told you two the first time I caught you in a compromising position to keep that contained to your rooms."

Fatin gapes at her mother and looks to Leah, who grimaces and looks away.

"Yeah, well, you're one to talk," Fatin fires back, looking as if she is trying to ignore the heat creeping up her neck and Rana purses her lips.

"She has a point," Michelle finally says, and Rana sends her a glare but sighs and relents, settling back into her chair.

"Alright, back to the point of this conversation. Are you three okay with this?" Rana asks, and the boys immediately nod.

"Yeah, we like Michelle," Arry says quietly, a shy smile on his face when he meets Michelle's happy gaze, and Sam nods in agreement.

"Yeah, she's awesome. And makes you happy," He adds, and Rana sends them a smile, her eyes watering slightly before she turns her attention to Fatin.

"And you, sweetheart?"

Fatin stays silent for a moment, observing Michelle and her mother before she sends them a grin. "Yeah, mom, I'm good with it. Michelle is a total babe; I'm actually impressed you managed to pull that."

Michelle laughs loudly, and Rana sighs, but the smile on her face grows so wide it looks like it hurts her cheeks.

"Me too, honey. Me too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuck it, Bi!Rana is now a thing. You're welcome.
> 
> Hope you kids enjoyed this! Thank you for reading :)


	26. year five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> more fluff!

Fatin knows what day it is, and she also knows Leah is going to be on edge because of it.

It's been five years to the exact day since Jeff's death, and even though she has worked hard in therapy and continues to learn how to deal with her emotions, this day is always a struggle for her.

So Fatin makes sure that each year Leah has the day off. She speaks with Leah's publicist and hides all their electronics, so she doesn't read the news or any social media posts about his death.

For four years, this has been their tradition; Fatin takes Leah to their favourite spot and spends the entire day together unplugged and enjoying nature.

"Hey babe," Leah says with a grin as she walks into the kitchen where Fatin is standing at the stove, currently cooking pancakes for her.

Fatin jolts in surprise and looks over at Leah in confusion. She never gets up before eleven on this day.

"Uh, hey Lee. You feeling okay?" She asks slowly, and Leah frowns a little before chuckle.

"Yes. Are you?"

"Yeah," Fatin says, and Leah sends her a smile before heading to the fridge to pull out the jug of orange juice. Fatin continues to watch her for a moment, trying to hide her concern by focusing on the pancakes when Leah turns around, but she knows she was caught.

"You don't have to walk on eggshells around me," Leah finally says quietly, stepping up behind Fatin and wrapping her arms around her waist. "I know what day it is, Fatin. But this year I feel good. Better than good. That weird grief isn't hanging over me like it usually does today. I feel free of that weight like today is any other day."

Fatin bites her lip to stop her smile from getting too big as she lifts the last pancake out of the pan and places it on the plate sitting next to the stove. Once the element is off, she turns in Leah's arm and presses a hard kiss to her lips.

"That makes me so happy," She murmurs, and Leah smiles against her lips. "I am so fucking proud of you, Lee. I know how hard you've worked to get to this place."

Leah nods and tugs Fatin closer, brushing their noses together as she speaks. "Thank you. But you also were a major part of me getting here. Your constant support has kept me going, and I love you so much for it. You always know what to say or do to help me through my issues."

"It's a gift," Fatin says with a teasing smile and Leah chuckles.

"At this point, I think you're right. You're like the Leah Rilke Whisperer."

Fatin laughs and captures Leah's lips in a soft kiss.

"Now that is a sweet title. But I do think Leah Jadmani has a nicer ring to it," She says, and Leah bites her lip, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Yeah? Well, I thought Fatin Rilke sounds much better."

Fatin hums and slips her hands under Leah's shirt, letting her fingers roam the muscles of her back before coming to rest on Leah's hips, tugging her close.

"How about Rilke-Jadmani?" She asks, brushing her lips against Leah's and Leah grins, nipping at Fatin's bottom lip.

"Now that could work," She whispers before slipping one hand into Fatin's hair and pulling her head forward to close the gap. Their lips come together in a bruising kiss, and immediately, Fatin gently leads Leah back until her lower back hits the island counter. Leah is quick to flip their positions and lift Fatin onto the counter, earning a guttural moan from Fatin.

"Fuck I love when you do that," Fatin mutters, and Leah chuckles into her mouth, her fingers digging into Fatin's hips. Fatin's fingers slip into Leah's hair and tug, pulling a groan from Leah immediately.

Leah has Fatin's shirt off within the next minute and kisses down Fatin's neck when a throat clears in the doorway. Leah yanks her head back and peers over Fatin's shoulder, finding her mother standing there with Rana, the two of them holding bags of what looks like groceries.

"No, no, no, no," Leah mutters as she shuts her eyes and hides her face in Fatin's hair.

"Well, this is awkward," Fatin says brightly, and Leah hears the two women chuckle and back out of the room to give them some privacy.

"Darling, please put your shirt back on," Rana calls, and Leah is quick to help Fatin back into her shirt and off the counter.

"Alright, you can come in," Fatin says, running her hand through her hair while Leah leans against the counter, her face in her hands as she tries to calm the heat burning her face. She thought Rana catching them when they were seventeen was embarrassing, or her walking in on Michelle and Rana, but nope, this is way worse. Mostly because her own mother has now been witness to it, not to mention this time involved less clothing.

"Honey, no need to be embarrassed," Maryann says with a laugh as she walks back into the kitchen and places the bags on the counter.

"Says, you, your mother didn't just walk in on you," Leah grumbles, but she lifts her head from her hands, and her mother grins along with Rana.

"No, but when your father and I were first dating, his mother did. And believe me, she caught more than an eyeful."

Leah blanches and immediately shoves away from the counter, shaking her head. "Nope, not listening," She says, pressing her hands over her ears while Fatin laughs and helps Rana pull out the groceries.

"All I'm saying is, it has happened to us all. As you are well aware," Maryann says, sending Leah a smirk and Leah groans, letting her hands fall to her sides.

"Yes, I have terrible luck. Can we move on from this topic, please?" She whines, and her mother grins as she begins to unpack one of the bags.

"So what is all of this for?" Fatin asks as they put away the food, and Rana shrugs.

"We know this day is a lot and wanted to bring you two a few things as well as check on you."

Leah sends the two women a grateful smile before rounding the counter to pull them each into a hug.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it. However, I am doing well this year. I think I've finally accepted everything that has happened with him," She tells them, and Rana shares a look with Maryann.

"Really? That is fantastic, baby," Maryann says, cupping Leah's cheek lovingly. "I'm so proud of you, sweetie."

"Thanks, mom," Leah whispers, leaning down to give her another hug.

"Yes, that is incredible," Rana adds, and Leah sends her a shy smile.

"Well, since you two are both here, why don't you guys stay?" Fatin offers. "We don't have any plans. We could all do something if you are free."

"That sounds lovely," Maryann says, sending Fatin a bright smile.

//

Watching movies curled up with her mother and Fatin was just the thing she needed today. She may not be experiencing an overbearing weight of depression, but that doesn't mean she doesn't know the significance of this date and still want a lowkey day with no internet or public interaction.

"Babe, can you grab more popcorn?" Fatin calls from the couch as Leah walks into the kitchen to grab another drink.

"Yes, dear," Leah calls sarcastically, and she hears Rana and her mother chuckle.

"You two are going to be great at married life," Rana teases, and Leah smiles to herself as she pulls out a popcorn packet from the cupboard, placing it in the microwave. While it cooks, she moves on to the fridge and pulls out a bottle of water.

"Oh, I can't wait till they have to deal with kids of their own," Maryann adds, and the bottle slips from Leah's hand immediately, landing on her barefoot.

"Fuck," Leah hisses and yanks her foot back and looks down at her now red pinky toe.

"Lee?" Fatin calls in concern, twisting around on the couch to peer into the kitchen, and Leah waves her off.

"Fine, just dropped a bottle of water on my toe," She says, and Fatin quirks a brow before sending her an amused smile.

"Alright, clumsy, careful not to drop my popcorn on the way back, will ya?"

Leah rolls her eyes and flips her off before bending down to grab her bottle of water.

"I think Sam and Aryan have already begun to train them for that," Rana replies to Maryann, and Leah looks over at the three women who are sitting on the couch, unaware of Leah's quiet panic.

"Yeah, Lee is the responsible parent, and I'm the fun one," Fatin says with a snicker earning twin chuckles from Rana and Leah's mother.

The microwave beeps, startling Leah out of her staring, and she quickly turns to pull the popcorn out, trying to ignore the way her heart raced in her chest. She shakes the bag as she walks back to the living room and swipes the bag of M&M's off the counter as she passes.

She hands Fatin the bag of popcorn over the back of the couch so she can dump it in the large bowl sitting in her lap before Leah rounds the couch.

"Did you grab the-"

Leah tosses the bag of chocolate at Fatin when she looks up and watches as she effortlessly snatches it out of the air. They have their routine down to a science at this point.

"Yep," Leah says with a grin, and Fatin smirks before she rips the bag open and dumps it into the bowl, mixing the M&M's around in the popcorn.

"Lee, our moms, are debating whether we will be good parents; what do you think?" Fatin asks suddenly, and Leah pauses with the bottle of water halfway raised to her mouth and glances over.

"Uh, I don't know." She says after a few seconds of hesitation, and Fatin raises her brows.

"Girl, you're supposed to say we will be awesome even if you know we will be terrible."

Leah chuckles and gulps some water as she settles into the couch, focusing on the TV screen where the main menu for one of the Harry Potter movies waits to be played.

She can feel her mother and Rana observing her while Fatin digs into her popcorn and reaches for the remote to press play.

As the movie begins, Leah tries to focus on it, but her thoughts are racing too fast for her to focus on anything outside her mind. Kids. They are discussing kids like it's nothing, and Fatin is clearly pro-children. But Leah is unsure; she never really gave it much thought. What she does know, however, is that she does not want to give birth. Since she was young, she knew that for a fact. Adoption or surrogate would be her option if the desire to have children arose.

At the same time, she is barely an adult herself. She still feels like a teenager fumbling through life even with all her success already. She is twenty-three and already a published author and public figure. She is engaged to be married, the wedding scheduled for two months from now, an autumn wedding something Fatin having always dreamed of having, and Leah was quick to agree.

And marriage is a commitment in itself, but when you add kids into the mix, it gets messy. Not that she thinks they can't handle it, but just the thought has her palms sweating. She would be in charge of shaping a child's life and teaching them how to be a decent human being when she barely has any clue how to do that herself.

Fatin does, though. Fatin is the best person she knows, and if they were to raise a child, she knows for a fact that where Leah lacked confidence, Fatin has an abundance of it. She believes in Leah's abilities and strength, and if Leah brought up how she felt inadequate, Fatin would tell her if she can stand up to her abuser and put him behind bars, she can deal with raising a child.

And she is right. Leah could raise a child, but it's still a terrifying thought.

A hand sliding into hers pulls Leah from her thoughts, and she looks down at her lap as Fatin links their fingers together silently. When Leah glances her way, Fatin is completely focused on the movie, but she squeezes her hand, acknowledging that she is aware of her gaze and internal turmoil.

Leah swallows roughly before leaning forward to place her bottle of water on the coffee table. When she leans back, she curls into Fatin's side and rests her head on her shoulder, finally allowing herself to focus on the movie.

She can overthink later, but for now, she is going to enjoy her fiancee's warmth and comforting presence as they watch a movie with their mothers.

They have plenty of time.

//

Later that night, when they are in bed, Fatin brings the topic up.

"You got weird when we started talking about kids," She says quietly, and Leah chews on the inside of her cheek, hiding her face in Fatin's neck. "Are you okay? Do you not want kids?"

Leah swallows and inhales slowly before lifting her head to peer down at Fatin in the dim lighting from the side lamp.

"I got a little freaked out; I will admit that," She murmurs and Fatin frowns, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind Leah's ear. "I never really put much thought into being a mom, you know?"

Fatin nods slowly, and Leah clears her throat, letting her gaze fall to where her fingers are fidgeting with the collar of Fatin's shirt collar before she speaks again. "And it's not that I am against kids; I'm just scared of the things I can't control. Like what if our kid becomes a serial killer or something? Or I mess them up, and they become addicted to drugs or run away?"

Fatin presses her lips together in an attempt to smother a laugh, but her shaking chest gives her away, and Leah glares at her.

"I'm serious," She says, and Fatin nods quickly to attempt to calm herself, but a chuckle escapes anyway.

"I'm sorry. I know you are, Lee. And honestly, those are all fair concerns, but baby, you are thinking so far ahead. We don't even have a kid yet, nor have we gotten married. This becoming a parent thing doesn't have to happen any time soon or at all if that is what you want."

Leah frowns and slides her hand up Fatin's neck until it rests on her jaw. "Fatin, I'm not going to deny you the chance to become a mom."

"Leah, I am only going to say this once," Fatin says seriously, and Leah swallows roughly. She knows Fatin isn't playing around when she uses her full first name. "I love the shit out of you, and sure, kids would be cool to have one day with you, but if that doesn't happen, I will never be angry about it or resent you. I chose you, and I want you, and you are everything I need. We don't need kids to be a family. It's us against the world, and I love that. I am not desperate for kids or whatever. If it happens, it happens. But if not? Know that that decision will never affect our relationship negatively. You're my girl Rilke, my ride or die."

Leah's throat tightens with emotion, and she sends Fatin a watery smile.

"You're not just saying that to make me feel better, right?"

"No. I will never lie to you, especially about something so important. Everything I just said is how I truly feel. I promise," Fatin murmurs, pressing a sweet kiss to Leah's nose.

Leah nods and inhales deeply before laying back down, her head back on Fatin's chest so she can listen to her steady heartbeat. For a few minutes, they lay in silence, Fatin running her fingertips up and down Leah's spine until Leah breaks the silence.

"You know having a mini-you running around would be super cute," She says quietly, and Fatin chuckles, slipping her fingers into Leah's hair letting her nails massage her scalp gently.

"Funny, I was thinking the opposite. If we had a mini-Leah and they got your blue eyes, I would be a goner."

Leah smiles to herself buries her face further into Fatin's chest.

Maybe having a child wouldn't be so bad as long as it's Fatin who is by her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! You are all so incredible and sweet with your love for this fic.


	27. year five pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bachelorette shenanigans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had so much fun writing this chapter. 
> 
> I hope you guys love it as much as I do, and I look forward to your feedback!  
> Thank you for continuously reading and leaving comments/kudos it makes my day :)

Fatin can't keep her hands off Leah the entire night.

And she doesn't know if it is due to the amount of alcohol she has ingested or because they are getting married in a week, or because Leah looks so sexy. Her hair is curled the way Fatin loves, a piece on the left side braided back, and she is dressed in tight black skinny jeans, black biker boots, and a tight white button-up tank top tucked in her waistband that shows off her cleavage and black bra. Either way, she can't get enough of her fiancee.

She rarely lets Leah be more than three feet away from her in the club or as they walk down the streets to listen to live music but thankfully, Leah seems just as needy and finds every chance she can to drape herself over Fatin or kiss her.

They've been in New Orleans for two days for their conjoined bachelorette party, the clinginess starting from the plane ride and not really disappearing as the days pass.

Their friends tease them relentlessly, but she doesn't care. She is so in love with Leah Rilke and wants everyone to know it.

Especially the dudes sending Leah lustful looks in the bar.

For the most part, guys leave their group alone, but more than once, Nora is approached from behind, and it is Quinn who grips her hand and twirls her away each time. Fatin decides to ask Leah later if she thinks anything is going on with those two. It's not the first time she has wondered about it. Nora and Quinn are the quietest of the group and tend to pair off. Fatin kind of hopes they have a thing. They would be adorable together.

Alanna gets most of the attention out of all of them, as she actively dances with a few guys, but when the real handsy ones get too bold, Leah steps in and glares at the men as she tugs Alanna towards her, and they tend to leave pretty quickly after that. Leah's death glare is terrifying, and Fatin is happy she has never had it directed at her.

Shelby gets a lot of the attention that night, too, which has Toni nearly knocking a few men's teeth out when they grab her roughly. But the highlight of Fatin's night is when Leah throws her drink in a man's face.

_"Rilke, come with me to get drinks!" Toni shouts over the loud music, and Leah nods, sending Fatin a quick smile and pecking her on the cheek before heading to the bar with Toni._

_Fatin watches them go, making sure they get through the crowd alright before she returns her focus to Daisy and Olivia, who are dancing closest to her, giggling and spinning each other around before they pull Fatin into the mix._

_Fatin laughs when Olivia dips her randomly and spins her out under her arm, where she knocks into Dot and Renee._

_"Aye, watch it!" Renee teases, and Fatin smirks. "You almost had my girl spilling her expensive drink all over me."_

_"I paid for that fucking drink," Fatin says with a loud laugh, and Renee pauses._

_"Good point."_

_With an eye roll, Fatin sends them a grin before spinning around to continue dancing with her group, only for clammy fingers to enclose around her wrist and pull her around._

_Fatin stumbles into the man who grabbed her, his free hand sliding over her waist and down to her ass before she quickly reaches back and shoves it away._

_"Get the fuck off me," She growls, pushing at his chest, and he laughs._

_"Come on, girlie; I just wanna have a bit of fun with you, is all. Just one dance, I'll make it worth your while," He says, his breath reeking of booze as he leans in close, but before she can shove him again, he is suddenly yanked backward by the collar of his shirt._

_Fatin looks at Leah in surprise, but Leah only has eyes for the man, and Fatin has never seen her so angry. She looks ready to kick his ass into next week._

_"Listen to me, you fucking asshole, touch my fiancee again, and it will be the last thing you do," Leah growls, digging two fingers into this scrawny chest, and he scoffs._

_"You won't do shit. Why don't you let your girl decide what she prefers more? I bet I could have her begging for this cock in minutes."_

_Leah moves so fast Fatin doesn't realize what is happening until it's over, and the man is sputtering and cursing as Leah's whiskey burns his eyes. Unfazed, Leah grips the front of his shirt and yanks him down, so they are nearly nose to nose._

_"I told you to fucking leave, not spew disgusting bullshit. So unless you want to be eating through a straw for the rest of your life, I suggest you take that fire exit over there," Leah says calmly, jerking her head to the door on her left, but Fatin can see the muscle in her jaw clenching and unclenching as she holds the man's scornful gaze. She is anything but calm._

_"Whatever. Slut isn't even worth it," He mutters and shoves Leah's hands off him, but she grabs onto him again._

_"What did you just call her?" She demands, and the man shuffles in place, looking around for anyone to help, but everyone seems content to ignore him and Leah, though a few peek over and have phones at the ready, which snaps Fatin out of it and with Toni's help they pull Leah back._

_The man immediately scurries off, and Leah releases a harsh breath. "Piece of fucking shit," She mutters and shoves her hand through her hair roughly before turning to Fatin. "Are you okay?"_

_Fatin releases a laugh and shakes her head in disbelief. "Am I okay? Babe, that was fucking amazing, and I am so hot for you right now."_

_Leah grins and immediately tugs Fatin into her body, capturing her lips in a rough kiss. When they pull back, Fatin is left dazed for a few seconds before she turns to their friends, who are watching them in amusement._

_"Yeah, we gotta go," She says bluntly, pulling her credit card out of her back pocket and slapping it into Dot's hand. "Drinks are on me."_

_The girls laugh and cheer as Fatin drags Leah towards the exit, and when they get outside, she presses Leah up against the brick wall, attaching their lips again in a desperate, needy kiss that leaves them both gasping._

_"Hotel?" Leah asks, breathless and Fatin groans._

_"Fuck yes."_

_//_

The hangover hits Leah like a fucking truck. Their party went well into the early morning, and when Leah and Fatin ended up back at the hotel, it was around three a.m. But then their intimate activities continued until sometime past six o'clock, and now that she is awake, all she wants to do is stay curled up in the dark room with Fatin flush against her. But the retching coming from the bathroom forces her out of bed, and she stumbles into the brightly lit room, causing her to hiss and shade her eyes as she kneels next to Fatin, who is hunched over the toilet.

"Good morning," Fatin croaks, and Leah releases a rough chuckle.

"Morning, babe," She whispers, tugging Fatin's hair back and tucking it into the collar of the oversized shirt she is wearing. "Have you been up for long?"

Fatin shakes her head and leans back into Leah's body, pale and sweaty, looking like death.

"No, maybe ten minutes at most. We drank a fuck ton last night, didn't we?" She asks, and Leah groans.

"Way too much. I can barely remember what happened."

"Oh, I remember one part very clearly," Fatin says with a tiny grin, and Leah looks down at her expectantly. "You nearly fucked a dude up for groping me."

Leah blinks and stops rubbing Fatin's back as she thinks back. "Oh shit. I drowned him in my whiskey, didn't I?"

Fatin snickers. "Hell yeah, baby."

"Man, I was looking forward to that drink too," Leah sighs, but when Fatin looks up at her, she winks and sends her a soft smile. "Probably best I didn't have it, though, or I think we would be fighting for this toilet at the moment."

"Fuck that, you would be puking in the sink," Fatin grumbles, and Leah laughs. "First come, first serve bitch."

"That's fair. I'm going to get you water from the fridge, okay? And some of those crackers Dot made us bring."

"Ugh, Dottie is such a girl scout," Fatin mutters as Leah stands and exits the bathroom returning with a cold bottle of water and a sleeve of crackers.

"If it weren't for her preparedness, you would probably be feeling terrible for the rest of the day," Leah reminds her as Fatin takes sips of the water.

"That's true. She's got like a whole medical bag full of drugs for us."

"We will go find her after you are sure you won't get sick again," Leah tells her quietly, and Fatin nods, moving to stand only to freeze. Leah's eyes widen as she sees the last bit of colour in Fatin's face drain away, and then Fatin is back on her knees, puking up the water she just drank.

Leah grimaces and gently rubs Fatin's back, trying not to let the visual and smell get to her. They don't need both of them stuck in the bathroom all day.

//

With a pounding heart and shaking hands, Fatin barrels down the hallway towards Dot's room. She pounds on the door rapidly, looking up and down the hall to make sure Leah doesn't come looking for her. The door is suddenly yanked open, and she stumbles but catches herself on the doorframe as Dot stares at her in annoyance.

"Dude, what the fuck is your problem? We are trying to sleep here."

Fatin shakes her head and shoves her way inside, pretending not to notice the way Renee slips a shirt on under the covers. Sleeping her ass.

"I need your fucking help," Fatin says, whirling around to face Dot when the door shuts and Dot raises her brows. "I lost my ring."

The silence that descends in the room is deafening, and Fatin's breathing picks up speed as she stares at Dot in fear.

"Oh shit," Renee mutters, and Fatin looks at her desperately.

"You guys have to help me. I can't let Leah ever find out. Please, before we leave today, we have to find it."

"Fuck," Dot sighs before she opens the door and walks across the hall to knock on Toni's door.

After a few seconds, it opens, and a groggy Toni stands there. She looks from Dot to Fatin and then back, her brow furrowing. "What do you want?" She grumbles, and Dot sighs again as she looks over her shoulder at Fatin then back.

"Fatin lost her engagement ring," Dot murmurs and the way Toni's face shutters has Fatin's stomach rolling.

Before she knows it, Toni is storming across the hall and getting in Fatin's face looking.

"Do you have any idea how much that ring fucking cost!" Toni says, so loud Fatin fears Leah will hear it three doors down and Fatin groans.

"No! But Leah can't find out-"

"That was a fucking ten thousand dollar ring Jadmani," Toni growls, and Fatin's legs wobble, her eyes nearly popping out of her head.

"No, no, no," Fatin murmurs, gripping her hair as she spins away from Toni and begins pacing the room. "Fuck! What am I going to?"

"Ten grand?" Renee asks in bewilderment, and they all look at her. "Jesus, I could buy a decent car for that."

Fatin sends her a glare before looking to Toni, reaching out to grab her shirt's collar and tugging her close. "You have to help me. Please, I'll do anything you want. Just please fucking help me find it."

Toni stares up at her for a moment, her expression stony before she sighs and tugs Fatin's hand off her shirt. "Fine. But you owe me. I'll have Shelby and the others distract Leah while we find the ring. Where was the last place you remember having it on?"

Fatin deflates, the relief that flows through her, nearly sending her to the floor, but she manages to sit on the edge of the bed instead. "I think dinner. But I'm so used to having it on I don't even feel it anymore. I only noticed this morning after I finished puking my fucking guts out and was lying in bed while Leah was in the bathroom. I ran here right after. Leah is probably still showering."

Toni grimaces but nods.

"We will trace our steps for the whole weekend. Let's go."

//

When Leah gets out of the bathroom, she is surprised to see Shelby sitting on the bed reading a page of Leah's novel she brought for the trip. She glances up quickly when she notices Leah standing there and sends her a beaming smile.

"Hey, I was wondering if you'd want to come with a few of us on a little shopping spree before we have to head home," Shelby says, and Leah frowns.

"Sure, but um, where's Fatin?"

"Oh, Dot pulled her away for something, but they will be back soon, I'm sure."

Leah nods and sends Shelby a small smile. "Okay. Where were you thinking of going? And who is all coming?"

"I thought we could head to the French Quarter. There is a mall there. And it will be us, Alanna, Nora, Martha, Quinn, Olivia and Daisy."

Leah raises her brows, noticing the distinct lack of Rachel, Toni, and Renee but decides not to question it. She can never say no when Shelby flashes that hopeful smile in her direction.

"Alright, let me get dressed, and we can go."

//

"Shelby says Leah agreed to the shopping. They will be out for a few hours," Toni says, tucking her phone into her pocket, and Fatin nods distractedly as she stares down at the sidewalk as they travel towards the next shop they stopped at on their tour of the city. They have had no luck in finding the ring in the first two stores or the museum. She keeps searching for a glint of blue, hoping to find it on the street, but at the same time, hopes that's not where it came off because she is sure it would have been scooped up very quickly by a pedestrian.

If she can't find this ring, she is dead. Leah will kill her, and there will be no wedding to attend. She is still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that Leah spent ten thousand dollars on a ring for her. Of course, she is aware Leah can afford it, her book sales have been steady, and that settlement money from Jeanette has been sitting in her savings account collecting interest for nearly five years, but still.

"Can't believe you fucking lost the ring," Rachel mutters for the tenth time in half an hour, and Fatin sighs loudly.

"I got it, Reid! I am a shit person; can we move on?" She grumbles, sending a glare Rachel's way, getting one in return.

"No. Because instead of being curled up in bed with my girlfriend, I am out here with your dumbass on a wild scavenger hunt for a ring that has probably been found by a random person and taken home."

"You didn't have to come," Fatin snaps, coming to an abrupt halt, causing Toni to stumble into her back, and Rachel stops too, spinning around to face her.

"Actually, I did. Martha asked me to go with you, and if I didn't, she would have gotten mad at me for being a dick and not helping. Not to mention I don't trust you to find the ring on your own or to not wander into traffic in search of it. And I seriously do not need a hysterical Leah on my hands," Rachel says bluntly, and Fatin grinds her teeth together.

"You know what? This is stupid. We aren't going to find it. It's fucking gone. Let's just go back; I'll tell Leah I lost the ring and pay her ten grand."

"No," Dot orders, grabbing Fatin's arm to stop her from whirling around and storming back to the hotel. "We are going to keep looking. Rachel stop being a bitch to Fatin; she feels bad enough as it is. After we find the ring, though, you can say whatever you like."

Rachel smirks and nods while Fatin flips Dot off.

"Come on," Toni calls from a few feet ahead, holding open the door to the restaurant they had lunch at yesterday. Fatin hadn't even noticed her slip around them.

Releasing a long breath, Fatin drags her feet as Dot leads her to the door.

Dot may think they will find the ring, but she is almost certain they won't. Internally, she prepares to face Leah and let her down for the first time in their relationship.

She just hopes Leah won't hate her.

//

"Oh damn, you need to get that," Alanna says, whistling lowly as Shelby walks out of the stall of the change room wearing a skin-tight black cocktail dress, and Leah is quick to agree.

"Yes, definitely get that one," Leah adds, and Shelby sends them a beaming smile.

"I think I will. It'd be a fun surprise for Toni on one of our date nights."

The girls laugh, and Shelby heads back into the stall to change into another outfit. Leah fiddles with her necklace chain as they wait for Shelby to walk out again to get their opinion and Nora taps Leah's thigh to get her attention. She is quick to look over at her, the two of them sitting on the same bench.

"What's on your necklace?" She asks, and Leah smiles, tugging out the chain from her shirt, and Nora freezes when she sees it. Martha chokes from her place on the chair across from them, and Leah frowns at the pair.

"What?" Leah demands, and Alanna smacks her palm to her forehead as Quinn, Daisy and Olivia snicker, staring down at the ring hanging from her chain, next to the rose pendant.

"Oh, this is fucking gold," Alanna howls as laughter bursts from her, and she hunches over, gasping.

"Dude, why do you have Fatin's engagement ring?" Martha asks, her voice high and slightly panicked, and Leah's frown deepens just as Shelby comes crashing out of the stall, in just her bra and one pant leg on.

"What?" Shelby hisses, and Leah's eyes widen when Shelby's gaze zeros in on her chest where the ring rests. "Oh, sweet baby Jesus," She whispers to herself before she dives back into the stall and grabs her phone, typing violently.

"Why do you have that?" Daisy asks, and Leah sends them all a bewildered look but answers anyway.

"Fatin asked me to hold on to it, so she didn't lose it in the club. Why?"

"Wait, wait," Martha says, holding up her hand, looking like she is trying not to laugh. "Fatin is the one who gave it to? Like purposefully? She knows that?"

"Yeah, after dinner last night. She was worried it would somehow fall off or someone would steal it off her finger. So we put it on my chain," Leah says slowly, wondering what is not clicking for them.

"Oh my fucking god," Shelby mutters as she yanks on her clothes quickly, and the girls laugh loudly at something Leah doesn't understand. She has no idea what the hell is so funny. "Come on; we are heading back to the hotel. Right now."

//

The slap to the back of her head is hard and unexpected and Fatin yelps, reaching up to cup the back of it as she whirls around on a pissed-off Toni.

"You fucking idiot."

"What? What the fuck could I have done now to have you smacking me?" Fatin spits, and Toni shoves her phone in her face.

Fatin blinks and pulls her head back a little so she can read the text on the screen.

 **_Shelb:_ ** _LEAH HAS THE RING._

 **_Shelb:_ ** _IT WAS ON HER CHAIN THE ENTIRE TIME._

 **_Shelb:_ ** _FATIN ASKED HER LAST NIGHT TO KEEP IT SAFE BEFORE WE WENT TO THE CLUB._

"Oh fuck," Fatin whispers, the memory of her pulling Leah off the side on the sidewalk so she can unhook her necklace and slip the ring on it immediately flashes through her mind.

Rachel grabs Toni's phone immediately, and Dot huddles around it with Renee so they can all see, and when they all look at her at the same time, Fatin chuckles nervously, slowly back away.

"Sorry?" She says with a wavering smile, and all four girls glare at her.

"You're dead," Rachel says, and Fatin's eyes widen when she lunges for her.

Fatin shrieks and takes off running. She can hear Rachel's pounding footsteps behind her and the others taking chase, and Fatin has never been so happy to have gotten into the habit of going on runs with Leah in the morning. Years of that torture have finally come in handy.

She dodges pedestrians and cars like it is a career, and she has been doing it her entire life because somehow the others continue to get stopped by people or are nearly hit by cars giving her the distance she needs.

Ten minutes of running later, she bursts into the hotel lobby and down the hall towards the stairs. Toni and Rachel's voices echo through the lobby just as she crashes through the door leading into the stairwell. She takes the stairs two at a time and reaches the third floor out of breath, but she pushes on, sprinting for her room. The door comes into sight just as Rachel and Toni tumble into the hallway. Fatin grits her teeth and lunges for her door, swiping her key card desperately, but it beeps red, and her eyes widen.

"Fuck off!" She shouts as she swipes it again; glancing over her shoulder Toni and Rachel now only ten paces away. It beeps, and when she looks down, it flashes green, and she shoves the door open and dives inside. She manages to slam it just in time, Toni trying to keep it from shutting all the way, but she is too slow.

"You'll have to come out of there sometime, Fatin! We leave in three hours!" Rachel shouts, smacking her hand on the door, and Fatin gasps for breath, falling back against the door with her eyes shut.

"You leave in three hours! I now live here!" She calls back, and a chuckle from further inside the room startling Fatin.

Leah is standing a few feet away grinning down at her with her arms crossed.

"Looks like you've made a few enemies, babe," Leah teases and Fatin groans, letting her head thump against the door.

"I ran like three miles to get away from those bitches."

Leah laughs brightly and walks over to crouch in front of her. Fatin watches as she takes her left hand and slides her engagement ring back on her finger.

"Heard you were looking for this," Leah whispers with a wink and Fatin's cheeks flush bright red.

"I think this is the most embarrassing moment of my life," She mutters and Leah snickers.

"I think so too. But in your defence, you did drink a lot and were not in a good headspace this morning after all that vomiting. It's understandable you panicked," Leah says, and Fatin nods quickly.

"Yes! Thank you!"

"Though if you had just mentioned it to me, we could have avoided this," Leah adds, and Fatin grimaces.

"I didn't want to admit that I had lost it. I never want to disappoint you like that."

"Babe," Leah whispers, reaching out to cup Fatin's face in both hands. "I would never be disappointed in you, especially over a ring. I would have understood if you had actually lost it. we can always replace it."

"You'd fork out another ten grand?" Fatin asks with a smirk, and Leah's cheeks flush a little.

"Yes."

"I can't believe you got me a ring worth that much," Fatin says with a small chuckle, and Leah grins.

"Only the best for you. I searched four stores before I found that one. It's vintage."

"God, I love you," Fatin murmurs, and Leah sends her a soft smile before leaning down and capturing Fatin's lips firmly.

"I love you more," She says, and Fatin smiles.

"So you will protect me from those heathens waiting to rip my head off?"

"Always."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fatin is a dummy but we love her anyway.


	28. year five pt. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Queue wedding music*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. Much. Fucking. Fluff.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy this chapter and thank you for all the lovely support.

Leah's emotions are all over the place, and she knows Toni is getting sick of it. She had to run out twenty minutes earlier to buy more tissues because Leah couldn't stop crying and Rana ends up having to redo Leah's makeup for her.

"Get it together, Rilke," Toni whispers in her ear as they stand at the door waiting for their queue from the wedding planner who stands a few feet away talking into an earpiece. "You'd think you were pregnant or something."

A bubble of laughter escapes Leah and Toni sends her a wink grinning a little. "I know. I'm good now. I promise. Just having a little freak out is all. I can't believe this is finally happening," She says, and Toni nods, reaching out to squeeze her hand.

"I get it. I'm sure I will be the same in a couple of months when Shelb and I tie the knot. But until then, I get to judge you."

Leah chuckles and knocks her hip into Toni's. "Be prepared for retaliation Shalifoe."

"Alright, we are ready for you," Vivian says, waving her clipboard towards the double doors that lead outside.

Leah's breath catches when she sees the final phase of the venue. There are roughly fifty white chairs lined up in rows on either side of the aisle littered with lavender purple, and apricot flower petals, colours Leah and Fatin both agreed on during the theme planning. Leah decided on navy blue, and Fatin loved the colour of apricot, so they combined them, and it was a perfect combination. Still, they wanted a few more pastel colours to add into the mix, so the bouquets next to the chairs and the ones their bridesmaids will carry are a mix of white, apricot, lavender and pastel blue and pink roses.

When deciding whether or not she would be wearing a dress, Leah decided against it. She never felt very comfortable in them and they only remind her of her time with Jeff. He was adamant she wore dresses on their dates. So she went with a three-piece navy blue suit tailored specifically to her and a pair of black dress shoes. Her tie is apricot, along with the pocket square and flower pinned to her jacket lapel, all varying shades of the colour. She decided to have her hair pulled up into an elegant bun on top of her head to finish off the look. Toni and Rachel are dressed the same as her, while Alanna, Quinn, Daisy and Olivia chose to wear floor-length dresses. All are the same shade of navy but different cuts to fit each of their body types. Their side makes a striking group, and as the girls step out one by one to walk down the dark brown boarded pathway that acts as the aisle, Leah can hear the guests murmur.

Toni sends her a bright smile and reaches up to straighten Leah's flower and smooth out her lapels. "You got this, Rilke. Fatin is going to lose her shit when she sees how hot you look," she says with a wink and Leah chuckles.

"Thanks, T."

Toni nods and turns around so she can step out, leaving Leah alone with Vivian. She takes a deep breath to calm her nerves, and Vivian sends her a gentle smile.

"You ready, Leah?" She asks quietly, and Leah nods quickly.

"I'm ready."

Vivian nods, and then Leah is stepping out into the warm mountain air where her mom and dad are waiting to walk her down the aisle.

//

Fatin vibrates with excitement as Shelby finishes off the last bit of her makeup for her.

"Alright, all done," Shelby says with a beaming smile, and Fatin immediately hops up from the chair, grinning gleefully as she runs for her dress that Martha is just unzipping.

"I have to go take my place, but I will see you out there, okay?" Shelby says, and Fatin turns around.

"Okay. Thank you for your help Shelb," Fatin replies, pulling Shelby into a tight hug.

"Anytime."

Fatin watches her leave before she turns back to Martha, who is watching her with a grin, the dress now uncovered, and Fatin sighs.

"Fuck I love this dress," She mutters as she reaches out to brush her fingers over the fabric and Martha giggles.

"I'd fucking hope so," Dot grumbles from her seat next to Nora, the two of them sipping on the champagne the staff provided for them. "It's a little late to change your mind."

"Oh Dorothy, you and your sharp wit," Fatin says sarcastically, and Dot smirks.

"You love it. Now hurry up and put that thing on. I'm not letting you be late for your own wedding. Leah will kill me."

"Yeah, yeah," Fatin mutters but immediately pulls the dress off the hanger and, with Martha's help, pulls it over the slip she chose to wear underneath. Once she has it situated, she lets Martha lace up the back.

"Damn, Leah is going to flip," Renee says as she saunters into the room carrying two glasses of champagne.

Fatin grins and glances at herself in the floor-length mirror. She looks damn good if she does say so herself.

"One of those for me?" Dot asks when Renee sits next to her and gets a scoff in response.

"No, these are both for me."

"What a nice girlfriend I have," Dot says sarcastically, and Renee hums as she drains one glass.

"Says the one who made me go find the guy to get these since you didn't even grab one for me while I was in the washroom before he left, knowing I never pass up the opportunity for free booze."

Fatin shares an eye roll with Martha as she helps her with her shoes. Dot and Renee love to bicker, and for Fatin, it is highly entertaining. That's why when they realized Leah would have seven people on her side and Fatin would have five, Fatin suggested they make it even by having Renee join her group.

Dot and Renee were, of course, right on board, as they are just as clingy as Leah and Fatin these days, not that they would admit it. They still love to pretend they don't care that much, but Fatin knows Dot well, and she can tell when she is in deep.

She won't be surprised if they end up married in a few years.

Nora appears at Fatin's side once she is done putting her shoes on and Fatin smiles when she notices the veil in her hands. Without a word, Fatin crouches so Nora can stick the pins in her hair, and when she stands up, it flows down her back perfectly.

"Alright, I'm going to say it," Renee says, and they all look over at her. "Fatin is a fucking babe, and I am so fucking jealous of her figure and Leah right now."

Fatin releases a loud laugh along with Martha and Nora while Dot rolls her eyes, but her lips twitch up.

"I have to agree with that sentiment. Fatin, you're my best friend, but right now, I am having conflicting feelings and kind of wish you were marrying me," Dot jokes and Fatin snickers, glancing towards Renee, who nods along.

"Anytime you and Rilke are looking to spice up your sex life, call us," She says, and Fatin laughs again.

"You two are freaks. But I'll keep that in mind," Fatin says with a wink and they grin.

A knock on the door has Fatin turning, and when she sees her mom walk in, she beams and walks over. Rana's eyes widen when she sees her, and immediately tears are welling in her eyes.

"Oh, my baby, you are breathtaking. Gosh, I can't believe this day is here," Rana says with a strained chuckle and Fatin's eyes water as Rana cups her cheeks.

"Me neither. Have you seen Leah yet?"

Rana smiles and nods. "I have. I had to touch up her makeup. She was a mess of tears."

Fatin's eyes widen, and she grips her mom's arm in worry.

"Happy tears, right?"

"The happiest," Rana whispers, leaning close, and Fatin releases a long breath, letting her forehead rest against her mother's.

"Thank god."

"She looks incredible, and she is waiting for you at the alter. I don't think I have seen her so nervous," Rana says with a chuckle, and Fatin smiles to herself before she pulls back and takes her mom's hands.

"Well, I am ready now."

"Then let's get you out there before she ruins her makeup again."

//

As Leah is lead down the aisle by her parents, she can't help but be captivated by the view. They chose Aspen specifically because of the mountains, and when they found this venue that overlooks the hills of pine trees, mountains and the sunset, they had to have it. The sun is already halfway setting behind the mountains, silhouetting them perfectly, as the moon and stars start to peak out in the mix of blue, pink and purple that streak the sky, leaving the thousands of white lights strung overhead of the chairs and alter to act as the only source of light. Leah doesn't think she has seen a more romantic setting, and she is so happy they chose dusk as the backdrop for their wedding.

When she reaches the alter where Shelby is standing, her parents each kiss her cheek and let her continue the last few steps until she stands next to Toni facing the small crowd of guests.

"You look gorgeous, Leah," Shelby whispers in her ear, and Leah sends her a shy smile.

"Thanks, Shelby. You don't look too bad yourself," She says, teasing, but she's not lying. Shelby looks incredible in a long-sleeve, knee-length pale pink dress that hugs her curves perfectly but has enough flowy fabric to look modest. Her hair is pulled up similar to Leah's, and with her white heels, she is only an inch taller than Leah.

"Stop fidgeting," Toni hisses in Leah's ear, and she quickly pulls her hand away from the flower pinned to her jacket. But only a minute later, she plays with her sleeves' cuffs and shifts on her feet, and Toni sighs loudly.

"Here," Toni says, and Leah looks down to find Toni holding out a fidget cube to her.

Leah looks up in bewilderment, and Toni smirks. "You didn't," Leah says, and Toni snickers as she places the cube in her palm.

"Oh, I did, Rilke. Now stick that hand in your pocket and use the cube discreetly."

Leah laughs to herself but does as she is told and slips her left hand into her pocket to play with the fidget cube. As the minutes pass, she reluctantly has to admit that Toni's idea was a good one; no one notices her anxious behaviour anymore.

"Here she comes," Shelby says, and Leah stands up straighter, yanking her hand out of her pocket and linking her hands together in front of her body as she takes a deep breath.

The string quartet begins to play their violins and cello, and Leah's heart pounds in her chest as she watches the large oak doors open and out steps Renee, followed by Martha, Nora, Arry, and Sam. Leah grins as they walk down the aisle towards her, each of them meeting her gaze and smiling back. Arry waves to Leah as he passes, and she chuckles, waving back to him.

When they are lined up on the other side of Shelby, Leah looks back and sees Dot exit the building looking sharp in her own tuxedo, and when she reaches Leah, she sends her a wink before taking her place and then it's Fatin's turn.

All of the guests rise and turn to watch as she steps outside. Leah's breath catches in her throat, and immediately tears spring to her eyes as she takes in her bride.

Fatin's dress is a gorgeous off-white colour and simple but elegant. The mermaid cut hugs her every curve perfectly, and Leah's mouth dries. As Fatin gets closer, she can tell the dress is made of lace and tulle, and the top of the dress dips low but covers her chest well, while the thin straps show off her straight shoulders and sharp collarbones. The train of her dress trails behind her with the veil flowing with each step she takes and Leah's cheeks hurt from how hard she is smiling. Her throat is tight with emotion, and she has to blink rapidly to clear the tears blurring her vision, but all she sees is Fatin.

Rana and Ahmad walk her to Leah, and when they hand her off, Rana hugs Fatin and then Leah before stepping back and allowing Ahmad the chance to do the same. Over the years, he and Fatin have found common ground and worked on repairing their relationship. It's slow going, but the fact that Fatin let him walk her down the aisle speaks volumes.

"Hi," Fatin whispers as Leah takes her hands and Leah grins.

"Hi."

"You look fucking hot," Fatin blurts, and Leah laughs, ducking her head in an attempt to smother it as a few scattered chuckles from the crowd reach her and Shelby sighs in exasperation but grins at them before she begins.

"Family and friends, we have been invited here today to share with Leah and Fatin a significant moment in their lives. In the years they have been together, their love and understanding of each other have grown and matured, and now they have decided to join together in matrimony," Shelby begins, and Leah grips Fatin's hands tight as they hold each others' gaze.

"I have known these two for five years now, and I consider them two of my closest friends. And to have the privilege of watching them overcome hardships together and come out the other side stronger than ever is a blessing. Fatin and Leah are two of the most resilient people I know, and I am continuously in awe of their commitment to each other. Nothing can break them apart, making me feel lucky to know them and witness such love. Watching them grow together never fails to warm my heart because I know they will be that couple everyone looks up to and wonders how they did it. Leah and Fatin have found peace in each other, and I am honoured to be standing here today in witness."

Shelby pauses to let her words sink in, and Leah takes a deep breath as she runs her thumbs over Fatin's knuckles, willing herself not to cry. At least not yet.

"Fatin, if you would please say your vows," Shelby says, and Fatin swallows, nodding slightly.

Leah sends her a small smile, and Fatin takes a deep breath, looking as if she is about to cry but manages to keep her voice steady and clear as she begins.

"Lee, you are the love of my life; there is no doubt about that. I can't imagine ever being with somebody else. No one compares to you. No one makes me laugh like you do or feel as loved. I am so in love with you, and I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I am so happy you nearly knocked me off my feet that night we met. You're my best friend, my partner, and my family, and I can't wait to grow old with you. I love you."

Leah's eyes water and she releases a tight chuckle as she looks up at the sky to blink away her tears, struggling to swallow the lump stuck in her throat.

When she looks back at Fatin, she smiles. "And here I thought I was the writer in this relationship."

Fatin laughs, and the crowd joins in, and when they quiet down, Shelby touches Leah's elbow.

"Leah, your vows please," She says, and Leah nods, clearing her throat.

"Fatin Jadmani, you have turned my entire life upside down in the best possible way, and I am so grateful. No one has ever been so kind, gentle, or patient with me the way you are. You always know what I need without me saying a word, and that is one of the things I cherish most. We have our own language, and more than once, you have saved me. You're my home and where I feel safest. You continue to prove to me daily that I am worthy of love even when sometimes I struggle to believe it. You're my breath, my protector, my love, my life, and I never want to lose you. I am in love with all that you are, and I look forward to growing with you and loving you the way you deserve until the end of our days. I love you so much," Leah says, her voice cracking at the end, and Fatin releases Leah's hand to reach up and wipe her eyes quickly, a watery smile gracing her face.

"I'm so glad I didn't have to follow that," Fatin jokes, and Leah releases a wet laugh.

Shelby places her hands on each of their arms, sending them a wide smile before looking to Toni and then Dot.

"Rings please," She says, and they are quick to move and hand over the wedding bands to Leah and Fatin.

"Now," Shelby begins, looking to Fatin. "Fatin do you take Leah to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do," Fatin says resolutely, and Leah smiles at her as Shelby continues.

"Do you promise to love, honour, cherish, and protect her for the rest of your days?"

"I do."

Shelby turns her attention to Leah and repeats the questions.

"I do," Leah says, and Shelby nods.

"Fatin, please place your ring on Leah's finger and repeat after me," She says, and Fatin does as instructed. "I Fatin, offer you Leah, all that I have, all that I am, and all that I will be. With this ring, I thee wed.”

Leah stares down at the wedding band now gleaming on her left ring finger, and when she glances up, Fatin is watching her with the softest expression Leah has ever seen.

"I love you," Fatin murmurs and a smile slowly spread across Leah's face.

"I love you too."

"Leah, your ring, please," Shelby says gently, and Leah pulls her gaze away from Fatin to look at Shelby. She repeats the words Fatin said seconds before and slides the silver band over Fatin's finger until it hits her engagement ring.

"With the power vested in me by the state of California, it is my honour and delight to declare you wife and wife. You may seal this declaration with a kiss," Shelby says, grinning wide, and Leah doesn't waste time.

She steps close and slides her right hand around Fatin's back before dipping her. Fatin laughs loudly with the unexpected move and quickly wraps her arm around Leah's shoulders before their lips meet in a passionate kiss.

Leah can hear the clapping and cheers from their family and friends and the distinctly loud wolf whistle she knows belongs to Toni, but she can't seem to pull herself away from Fatin's eager lips.

After a minute, she manages to pull Fatin up and slow their kissing down until they do nothing but share the same breath and stare into each others' eyes, grinning.

"We're married," Fatin whispers in disbelief, and Leah pecks her lips, reaching up to cup her cheek.

"We are."

"You're my wife," Fatin adds and Leah chuckles.

"I am."

"I have a hot fucking wife."

Leah tosses her head back with a laugh before pulling Fatin into her for a tight hug, her arms wrapped around Fatin's shoulders.

"I love you," she murmurs in Fatin's ear, and Fatin slips her around Leah's back, squeezing tight.

"I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THEY ARE FINALLY MARRIED YAAAAY!!!
> 
> Alright, I could not do this venue justice with my description, so please copy and search this link if you would like a visual because it is breathtaking, and I love it so much.  
> The Little Nell, Aspen, Colorado:  
> https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/fall-wedding-venues-6-1507234688.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.753xh;0,0.0434xh&resize=980:*
> 
> Fatin's dress:https://www.essensedesigns.com/stella-york/wedding-dresses/6793/


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